Stories

Dakota’s impressive transition into adulthood. When Dakota first came to the Independent Living program at Volunteers of America in April of 2021, he was struggling to live on his own. He had turned 18 in December, and was excited to finally be out of the custody of the Department of Family Services. But life on his own was not everything he had dreamed it to be. He completed a Job Corps program in warehousing, but soon came to realize that he would need help learning how to live independently and become a sustainable adult. He did not know how to…

Ronnie faced many obstacles as he searched for stability, but he finally has a place to call home. As a Veteran living with PTSD, Anxiety, and Depression, Ronnie was having a hard time when he came to our Veteran Outreach Center in Rapid City, South Dakota. Just meeting with our case manager Jennifer Wallace was a huge step for him, but he left that meeting determined to find stable housing. Thanks to a grant from The Home Depot Foundation, we were able to pay his rental arrears and late charges that had been stacking up and stopping Ronnie from finding a stable…

Stuffed Stockings for Struggling Kids The joy of Christmas morning is a fond childhood memory for many people. There is nothing quite like the excitement of waking up to discover that Santa had come in the night to leave presents and, of course, a full stocking. During the holiday season, many of the kids in our programs here at Volunteers of America are reminded that they have no one to fill their stockings, and a time that should be filled with joy weighs heavy on their hearts. They are the children who did not have someone there every Christmas to…

Overcoming Addiction and Homelessness When Stacey got in touch with Volunteers of America, he was living at the VA Domiciliary and had a month to find a home. His past struggles with addiction and homelessness had left him with minimal support and a poor credit score, which made finding a place to live a challenge. Fortunately, Veterans like Stacey are the people our Veterans Services programs are designed to help. A VOA case manager worked with Stacey to help him apply for rentals on his smartphone and encouraged him to keep trying when he felt overwhelmed and defeated by rejections….

Hope and compassion for others on the Red Road Nick shares his life story dance and a little about the transformation that took place during his time at The Life House. The Life House is a White Bison-certified residential treatment center that offers substance abuse treatment to men on our beautiful Sheridan campus. When Nick graduated from The Life House, our men’s treatment facility in Sheridan, he wanted to share his story. He knew that many other people were struggling with addiction and his message was meant to encourage others to find and walk the Red Road.  

From Instability to a Happy Home When Mark and his dog Deacon came to our office, they hadn’t eaten in a week. We got them into emergency housing, got Mark some food and, with the generous help of a local veterinarian, got Deacon a hearty meal as well. Mark was a Veteran who had traveled from Virginia to Wyoming in search of a better life. The journey had taken nearly everything he had, and the disability payments he was receiving for his service were still being sent to his old address in Virginia. He had nothing left but Deacon. Thankfully,…

Maud Ballington Booth’s Legacy In 1896, Volunteers of America co-founder Maud Ballington Booth opened the first privately owned halfway house in the United States. Hope Hall was located in New York City and was designed to help recently released convicts reintegrate into their community. The program was so successful that she opened another Hope Hall in Chicago, and by 1902 over 3,000 recently-released individuals had passed through the Halls. Today, Maud’s commitment to assisting incarcerated individuals with the transition back into society remains a top priority at Volunteers of America. Here in Wyoming, we operate Booth Hall, which continues the…

Ruth’s Story of Strength, Bravery, and Hope. When Ruth decided to leave her abusive husband, she had nothing but an old car and a tent with no poles that she found in a dumpster. At 72 years old, she was starting her life over with next to nothing. She spent weeks on the road, visiting the national parks she had always wanted to see and sleeping in the car. “It was terribly lonely,” shared Ruth. One of her fondest memories of her time on the road is of coming upon a group of campers who were circled up and enjoying…

Wildlife Art The COVID-19 pandemic has been difficult for everyone, but especially residents of senior living facilities. The greater risk of complications from infection and the dangers of close living quarters meant life was significantly less entertaining than usual at Aspen Grove. Amid the restrictions, a 10-year tenant of Aspen Grove became a spot of entertainment for other residents as she brought a series of statues to life. The series, called “Wildlife of Yellowstone,” continues to grow as Paulette, at a table near a lobby window, paints tiny details and adds dimensional elements to statues of all kinds of Yellowstone…

It’s not often that Aspen Grove gets a large group of motivated volunteers, so when Phillips 66 in Billings got in touch to see if they could help their offer was quickly and graciously accepted.  Looking around the property, it was clear that the group had their work cut out for them. There were several dead plants, leaky drip lines, and planters and fences that badly needed staining. With direction from Aspen Grove maintenance staff, the Phillips 66 volunteers set to work. By the end of the day, the property was completely changed.  The fence went from looking grey and weathered to…