Agency Success Stories

Helping Children Succeed

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southern Utah

Little Brother Matt and Big Brother Kimball are part of our community-based program here in St. George and have been matched for almost a year. Matt has grown up without a father-figure in his life, and he absolutely adored his Big Brother from day one! He and his Big Brother go snowboarding together, hiking, to the movies, and Kimball helps Matt with his homework and school projects. Matt’s mom said she noticed right away a night-and-day change in her son. Matt was feeling better about himself and much more confident, and he was trying harder in school. Even his teacher noticed the positive change. “My Big Brother cares about me,” Matt says. “He does things with me because I’m special, not because he has to.” That has made all the difference for this little boy. Matt’s mom can’t say enough good things about this volunteer, the positive changes he has inspired in her son and the kind things he continues to do for them. Matt and Kimball, “brothers” for life!

The Learning Center for Families

Although we work with many families who are living in poverty, a majority of the families we serve live above poverty cycle. Disability doesn’t care how much money your ‘momma’ has! When we first started working with the ‘Smith’ family, they were very protective of their little boy. Nobody could tell them why their almost two-year-old was not talking yet. Not only that, but he had difficulty engaging and couldn’t play with toys or other children. This family was very desperate to find some help to bring their child up to speed with other children. They were pretty wary of us at first and insisted on doing things their way. I remember the father contacting me once to complain about one of our therapists. He was very apologetic but he didn’t feel that this particular speech therapist was connecting with their child. I told him that I was actually happy to hear him complain because his son was counting on his father to find the best program for him! I think the father was shocked to hear this. However, we do believe very strongly that parents- if they learn nothing else at The Learning Center for Families- need to learn to advocate for their child’s best interests. Yes, even if it means complaining to us!

By trail and error, we were able to put together a treatment team that worked really well with this family. We also worked very closely with the child’s pediatrician in finding medical specialists that could help solve the puzzle of this handsome little boy. However, this child did not make a lot of developmental progress with us. Eventually he was found to have a very serious seizure disorder that has not been able to be controlled yet. He is currently using an experimental pump for his seizures. However, his seizures occur unabated and, unfortunately, he is actually losing skills.

So what is the success story? Two weeks ago it was time to say goodbye to this special family and enroll their child in the district preschool for special education. We accompanied the family and supported them while they advocated for everything they believe their child needs in order to participate in the special education program. I had actually gone to the meeting to help the family get their child’s needs met. But they sure didn’t need me! This couple really fought for their son and were able to put together a very impressive special education program for him. At the end of the meeting, they thanked us profusely for helping them and believing in them. Although this child did not make much developmental progress while at TLC, the success was the change in this family’s ability to stay in there for the long haul. There is a mountain of special education meetings and specialists’ visits in their future. But I have no doubt that this family will not let their little boy down when it comes to meeting his needs.

There is a PS to all of this. Recently the downtown merchants wanted to help The Learning Center for Families during their 4th of July block party. One of the organizers was going from business to business to garner support for their event and their official charity. She stopped in a company who was having a staff meeting of several dozen people. When she said that she was there on behalf of helping TLC for Families, this man jumped up and said “My son went there! These people are a Godsend. Nobody believed in us and helped us like they did. This program is a miracle!”. It took the organizer by surprise. She didn’t know there was going to be anyone there that had even heard of TLC. However, the event organizer reported back to me that it was a most successful pledge! I figured out when she told me which business who had been boasting about us. Can you guess?

Basic Human Needs

Dixie Care & Share

Fifty percent of the current staff members are former residents of the shelter who have completed more than one year of employment and have moved into more permanent housing. That in itself speaks volumes for success of the program.

The HOPE Organization

“A” came to our organization because she was in a very abusive relationship and her husband was hinting to her that he was going to take a second wife. “A” did not want to live polygamy and she was becoming concerned about the negative impact that their arguments and the domestic violence were having on their daughter. The husband would hit her in front of the little girl and the daughter was starting to act out and would scream and cry when these violent incidents occurred. We were able to get her into a safe environment by finding her an affordable apartment, getting her a Protective Order, and accompanying her when she moved her belongings out of the family home.

Since she took only her clothes, her daughter’s clothes and the child’s toys, “A” needed many things to furnish her apartment. We got beds, other furnishings and household items donated from the local thrift stores and people donated many items to The HOPE Organization on “A’s” behalf. What basic household items we could not find through donations, we bought for her.

Our agency drove her around for weeks getting everything set up for her in preparation for her to leave the polygamous community. After we had the apartment secured, furnished and utilities turned on, two of our volunteers went with her to move out her belongings.

She did not have any transportation, but was eager to find employment. Unfortunately, her apartment was beyond the Sun Tran system, so she could not get around town on the bus. Again, we transported her around town to get the necessary services she needed. We took her to DWFS who helped her apply for child support, financial assistance and food stamps. They also got her enrolled in classes to prepare for applying for employment and learning interviewing skills. We got her on programs like WIC and “A” got her daughter’s vaccinations brought up to date and also got some much needed dental work done for her. We were able to find many donated Christmas toys for her daughter and “A” told us that it was an incredible Christmas full of happiness, celebration and generosity.

A couple of weeks ago, she told me that she had a job interview and I wrote a letter of recommendation for her and she got the position! She is so excited to be working and her self-esteem has improved so much and she now has peace of mind and is starting to become self-sufficient. We gave her a car that was donated to our organization and she now has transportation. She is laughing again (her husband did not allow her to laugh), she is free from her husband’s controlling manner and she is optimistic and happy. She is like a new person, compared to the scared, oppressed young woman we first met. It has been such a rewarding time for our group to see this young lady blossom. It looks like this will be a great new future for her as she transitions out of the polygamous community where she was living.

Color Country Community Housing

Although this applicant was helped using the Emergency Rental Assistance program, she did not really fit our criteria. She would have been a perfect candidate for the Emergency Assistance Program due to the fact that she was trying to improve her living situation.

Sherie Ann Shelley was evicted from her home in October due to no fault of her own. She had stayed with friends for two weeks and in hotels for three more weeks which exhausted her savings. When she was able to find a rental that she could afford on a monthly basis she was unable to come up with rent and security deposit. We gave her $750 to pay her first months rent. She is now doing very well and is living in a “great place”. She is so grateful that we were there to help her out of this tough spot and she “can’t say enough to thank us for the help and support”. She is confident she will be able to pay the rent now that it is something that she can afford.

Community Services Council's 211 Info Bank

Carl has been a frequent client of 211 Info Bank for over 30 years. In the 1970s he worked as a school psychologist at a local high school for at-risk youth. There he established the Parent Education Resource Center (PERC) that served parents across 15 public schools with resources to help their children succeed. He called 211 Info Bank on at least a weekly basis looking for information ranging from substance abuse treatment programs to domestic violence and crisis management. Through the rest of his career as a school psychologist and counselor he told 211 Info Bank that “he never once wasn't able to get the information he was looking for.”

Carl was been able to direct the lives of dozens, if not hundreds, of his students through providing them with accurate, updated and pertinent information about resources that they needed, thus hopefully helping them make the most of their own lives.

Carl continues to call 211 Info Bank, even now that he is retired as he looks for information and resources for himself and his fellow neighbors and friends.

D.O.V.E. Center

Svetlana came to our country with the promise of romance, a LDS Temple marriage and a wonderful life for her and her son, Max. Ser arrived in this country, joined her intended, married in the Temple and ended up in the hospital. She had been abused practically from the beginning. She was isolated, drugged and emotionally battered by her husband. After the hospital she came to the D.O.V.E Center where she remained for 7 months. With assistance from many agencies in town, she received English lessons, a job at the D.I, counseling, group therapy, friendship, love and a home.

In the Ukraine Svetlana was trained as a Master Pastry Chef. She now lives in a small, one bedroom apartment with her son. Max is excelling in junior high school, and Svetlana continues to work at the D.I so that they will pay her rent. She does not receive a salary and after two years she has finally been able to receive her US Citizen status. The D.O.V.E Center is still involved in her growth and recovery.

Support Health and Wellness

Doctors' Free Clinic of St. George

D.R. was seen for continuing cough, and was sent for a chest xray. It showed an abnormality and after further testing and scans were done, he was referred through the Physician Referral program to a surgeon, who biopsied and found a malignancy. The surgeon is working with the patient to perform surgery to remove the lung. Some of the testing that is not covered by the hospital, the Free Clinic has been willing to assist with financially. The patient is in the process of attempting to get on Medicaid disability.

E.T. was seen by the dentist for painful teeth. This patient would not even smile due to the problems with her front teeth for which she was very embarrassed. Xrays were done along with an exam, after which he was able to do a root canal on one tooth and filled the cavities on the others. When she was done and went into the bathroom, she came out crying and thanked the dentist for what he had done for her. She had had a hard time interviewing for jobs due to her discomfort with her appearance and did not like to smile. She was most grateful.

K.G. was seen at the Mental Health Clinic for severe depression. He was crying and weepy, and had never sought mental health services before because he couldn’t afford them. This patient had attempted suicide twice already in the last year. He said he had come to the clinic because he was willing to believe that maybe there was some hope, and he was willing to try anything, but he also did not think anything would really work. He was seen by the psychiatrist and counselor, started anti-depression medication, and returned in 2 weeks smiling, with the report of feeling like “life actually has something to offer” and he thanked us for the medication, but also for the feeling of concern and acceptance that helped him feel like he was worth something.

Intermountain Specialized Abuse Treatment Center

J.S. initially came to ISAT to “feel better” about her direction in life. She stated she felt “lost” and “always fearful.” After two or three weeks she disclosed that she had endured sexual abuse at the hands of her stepfather for four and a half years as a young teenager. “Could that have anything to do with why I feel so bad about myself?” This woman was 42 years old and had never married—not because she didn’t want to, but because she didn’t feel like she deserved to be loved by anyone. And so began her journey. J.S. disclosed the abusive experience to her therapist and for the first time was able to tell her story. J.S. worked very hard in therapy and completed a program that instilled in her a more positive image of herself and gave her a voice for her pain and her success.

Support Vulnerable and Aging

St. George Regional Office of the Alzheimer's Association

Mr. R is caring for his wife, who is in the moderate to severe stage of Alzheimer’s disease. He has been caring for her on his own for almost 10 years. When caregiving around the clock became overwhelming to Mr. R, he contacted the Alzheimer's Association for assistance. Through our current respite program, we have been able to provide Mr. R with several hours per week of free respite care. Mr. R has stated several times that without this assistance, either his wife would be in a nursing home, or he would be dead (or both). Respite care allows Mr. R to do things during the day that are difficult to accomplish while he is taking care of his wife (e.g., shop for groceries, attend church activities, sleep). Additionally, Mr. R’s wife enjoys the respite care services, where she is able to visit with people, play games, and sing, all of which improve her quality of life.

TURN Community Services

When Shari left her familiar home environment in 1998 to live in a S. George group home, she left the communication system which had worked for her for thirty-three years. Like many others who experience severe autism, Shari was completely nonverbal. The adapted hand, arm and facial gestures with which she communicated with her family, were lost on unknowing staff. Often frustrated with her inability to communicate her wants and needs, Sharman’s usual gentle demeanor was punctuated with periods of aggressive outbursts or alternately, passive behavior.

Then, in early 2003, the TURN group home Program Assistant recognized that Shari was using a variation of the American Sign Language word for “cookie,” a sign that may have reemerged from school training years before. At the age of 38, Shari began sign language training as an outcome component of her Person Centered Plan. With the signing of a single word, and the comprehension and ability to use the signs for “yes” and “no” that came thereafter, Shari’s life drastically changed. Today, Shari continues to learn basic signs and seldom resorts to negative behavior in order to be heard.

The Arc of Washington County

Sara is an adult woman who has Downs Syndrome. She has lived her entire life with her mother. They have had a great relationship and Sara was kept busy with her mother’s and two sister’s activities and very happy with her life. Her sisters moved out of the area and her mother acquired some serious health issues and Sara spent more and more time at home and had little involvement with the community or opportunity to socialize with friends. Her mother was concerned about her social skills and looked to the Arc of Washington County for help. The Arc recommended their Life/Social Skills Development Program and suggested Sara attend our evening activities.

The Program Director evaluated Sara during her first week of At her first week of participation and said Sara was very excited to be around people and eager to participate but was loud and would interrupt the activities. She was hard to understand and would have a hard time following instructions and staying on task. Carla progressed quickly as she attended the activities and interacted with the others in the programs. By giving Carla a place away from home to socialize with friends and participate in hand/eye coordinating projects and activities coordinated by volunteers, Carla soon fit in and developed a network of her own. She became easier to understand when she felt she was accepted and fit in, and she learned to take turns, follow directions, complete projects, and listen. We found she was much more tolerant with others. We were so excited for her and the progress she was making. She had been involved with The Arc for about a year when she and her mother moved out of the area but we feel we made a big difference in her life in just that short amount of time.

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