Who We Help
The REALTOR® Foundation supports organizations in central Indiana who serve and house our homeless neighbors. Ranging from victims of domestic violence to men with medical needs and entire families, the Foundation’s grant recipients just need a helping hand. View the map below to see where our support reaches.
Success Stories
Your donation makes a difference! Get to know our success stories below:
With a dual diagnosis, “Bruce” was in double-trouble. His bipolar disorder kept him zooming up at times, and winding and twisting down at others. He kept his roller-coaster lifestyle bearable by making it hazy through self-medicating on alcohol and “benzos.” For Bruce, meds for his mental illness were inconsistent at best; that is until he came to live at Pathway to Recovery. Before he got to Pathway, Bruce was unable to control his life, and couldn’t ask for help. He slept in his car, stole to survive, and became stressed-out and sick. After landing in the state hospital and shelters along the way, he became willing to accept help. But help doesn’t always come in the form that you would like it to. Bruce found out rather quickly that the only way to get control of his life, was to relinquish control — along with his pay check and his car keys. Surrendering was hard for him, but having Pathway staff in control of his money, while teaching him how to budget, was essential. Today Bruce is living the life he never dreamed possible. He is an honor student soon to finish his BA, with plans to go onto graduate school. He is also married to a beautiful woman that he is “in-love” with and they are working together to raise their infant son. For Bruce, his true journey in life is just beginning.
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The Dove Recovery House for Women, a 2010 REALTOR® Foundation grantee, provides transitional housing for adult women wanting to end drug or alcohol addiction. Recently, Dove House announced they would have to close their doors if they didn’t receive emergency aid, because they lost a much needed HUD grant. Dove House was able to get approval for a grant from the Housing Trust Fund, but it didn’t cover everything they would need to keep them up and running. Last week, the REALTOR® Foundation Board of Directors decided to help and granted Dove House $5,000 in emergency aid.
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Mike came to the Health Recovery Program of Gennesaret Free Clinic in the summer of 2009. He had kidney failure and was on dialysis. He was assisted in getting into a Quest for Excellence apartment and received start up items from the REALTOR® Foundation. He was able to get his old job back as a salesman for HH Gregg and did well for a short time. His dialysis made him quite tired and weak so he was assisted in filing for early retirement. This coupled with disability allows him to pay his bills and to purchase a car. This past winter he was hospitalized for open heart surgery and recuperated in a nursing home, returning to his apartment in February 2010. He has a female friend now and keeps busy doing things and going places with her. Mike and she give back as much as they can to help others’ lives.
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After years of abuse, “Monique” fled her abusive partner and moved into an emergency shelter. She was scared and overwhelmed by the change in her life. Monique spent nights thinking about the life she left behind. She missed her home, her support system and all of her belongings; but, she was grateful to be safe and free from her abusers control. After a few weeks in the shelter she applied to live at Coburn Place and, soon, she moved from the shelter to our transitional housing facility. Last week she invited a few staff members to see her apartment. Monique transformed her one-bedroom apartment into a home that she loved. The walls were covered with photos of her family and friends. The dresser held inspirational books and flowers. It is a beautiful place that Monique can call home for the next two years. She said, “I was scared when I left my abuser. But, today, I feel safe and I feel blessed to live in a place like Coburn Place. God has blessed me, indeed.”
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“Rachel” came to Sheltering Wings as a result of her mother calling our 24 hour crisis hotline. Rachel’s mother was at the end of her rope; she knew her daughter needed help and she had determined that Rachel could not live with her. Her domestic violence put everyone at risk and the mother knew Rachel living in her home would be unsafe for all. So Rachel came to stay at Sheltering Wings. She arrived with a one year old daughter and was pregnant. She did not want to be here. She came to us with addictions and was suicidal. Eventually, she was able to find employment while at Sheltering Wings. She moved out to a place of her own. She is in school and is maintaining a 3.8 GPA. Her abuser is still around as he interacts with their children but she has learned through the Healthy Relationship class not to tolerate his behavior. She is living life to the fullest. She has even recently met a safe, wonderful man. The future looks promising for Rachel.
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“Betty” arrived at Sheltering Wings. Betty had been the victim of a violent sexual assault. She had severe PTSD and nightmares. During her times of therapy she would talk about what happened but she would not deal with the impact of the assault. She could share the facts but she detached from the reality and impact of the events. She was fighting our therapist and was not progressing. This continued for several months. She wanted things to be over and even asked our therapist when that would happen. Our therapist shared that the impact and horror would not end until she really opened up and dealt with the heart matters that needed healing. It took several months but she has begun to work on her issues. She is continuing to counsel, she graduated from the Healthy Relationship 101 group, her depression and PTSD has greatly diminished. Her nightmares and flashbacks have subsided. She is now able to work and is on the road to recovery.
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Click here to see a story about Gennesaret Free Clinic’s Health Recovery Program that aired on WISH-TV Channel 8
