I am thankful. I am overwhelmed. I am amazed. Frankly, words fail to describe exactly how I feel about the generosity of this community. This was the first time in history that our organization, Human Support Services, made this kind of ask of our community, our staff and our leadership. I don’t think I’m overstating when...
On April 28, we were proud to watch our team of athletes compete in the Spring Games for Special Olympics Illinois — including one champ who showed us all what it means to persevere. This athlete fell during her race and was technically disqualified. But she got up, brushed off her injuries, and finished her...
Ethan Call, a college student, was worried when he noticed that his friend — who normally attended church every Sunday — didn’t show up to teach Sunday School that day. He knew she had been struggling with depression and anxiety. So, he texted her and asked if she was okay. She wasn’t. Gwen Cubit, a mother from...
We're very excited to announce that Human Support Services is one of only three nonprofits selected nationwide for a new initiative designed to improve mental health and substance abuse disorder treatment outcomes for incarcerated individuals. The initiative is a project of the The National Council for Behavioral Health. We applied for and were selected by the National...
Nationwide, one in four women and one in seven men have been victims of severe physical violence by an intimate partner within their lifetime, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Unfortunately, in smaller communities like ours, access to domestic violence prevention services, such as counseling and legal assistance, can often be difficult to access. Our...
If you haven’t heard by now, let me be the first to share our very exciting news: we are the proud owners of a Bed & Breakfast! On February 16, Human Support Services closed on property at 4505 HH Road in Waterloo that we plan to operate as a bed and breakfast and a group home. This...
By the looks of them, they weren’t excited about this day. Even the most eager learners aren’t typically enthusiastic about being crammed into a tiny conference room for eight hours. But this group – eight men and one woman – looked particularly pessimistic about this training session. They were corrections officers – jailers in conversational terms – and...
When they first began to talk about her, she was visibly overwhelmed. Her cheeks flushed crimson as she covered her face with her hands, momentarily uncomfortable in the spotlight. But then, a giggle escaped. Another quickly followed. Soon, any signs of shyness evaporated and in its’ place was another, more powerful emotion - joy. A joy so...
There’s a framed picture of his mom on the wall, and James is quick to point it out to guests. Beaming with pride, he’ll show you the television, the gaming system and the view from the windows in his upstairs bedroom. Then on the way out, he’ll mention the picture of his mom. The house has all...
He’s no longer a young man, but when Mickey smiles, his eyes twinkle with the pure, unadulterated joy of youth. There’s a light inside Mickey, the kind you can see without ever having to hear him speak a single word. Mickey, 63, was diagnosed with cerebral palsy as a child and is deaf. He communicates through sign...
