DePaul Expressions Spring 2022

Volume XX • Number 1 • Spring 2022

IN THIS ISSUE: How a Family’s Love Transcended Its Loss How a Calling and a Commitment Changed a Family Forever

To End is to Begin

Throughout my time at DePaul, more things have come to an end than I can count. Employees have ended one role to move into a new and more challenging one. Children have ended their legal relationships with their families of origin to enter another family through adoption. Professionals in all sorts of industries have ended their careers as they know them to become sponsored care providers, welcoming an individual with disabilities into their home. Parents have worked to end their relationship with drugs and alcohol to begin to get their lives back. Dear friends have passed away, compelling us to carry out their legacy in new ways. The line between beginnings and endings has become quite blurred for me, leading me to believe that all of life is a series of transitions, that we are never not on our way to or from something. We are people of movement, always heading somewhere, and in the best of times, we move towards something that calls to us. Whether the voice comes from within us, or beyond us, we keep pursuing what is next, committing our lives to the work we are meant to do. There’s evidence of this woven into the stories you’ll read in issue of Expressions: Curtis and Beth and the Stewart family live fully into hope in the midst of loss and transitions. I write this note to you at a time of significant transition for DePaul and for me. I will finish my work here at the end of June, after more than nine years leading an organization and a mission that I love. I have made this decision from a place of deep and sustaining gratitude for this tribe: colleagues, the families we serve, our donors, and the communities that allow us to partner with them. I have learned and grown much in my time here, receiving my own share of hope and belonging. I leave different than I entered, and the impact of this work on my life is larger than I can measure. My sadness about missing the people and the beautiful work they will continue to do matches my excitement for what is to come—because as my time in this role comes to an end, so begins a new opportunity for DePaul to consider its future with new eyes. While I will not be a part of DePaul in the same way, I will always be a friend and supporter, rooting alongside each of you for its continued success.

Amanda Stanley

Bridge to Hope Fund Thanks to you, we keep saying “Yes!” In July 2021, DePaul opened the Bridge to Hope Fund so we could say yes to people with disabilities, children in foster care, and families in crisis. With your generosity, we raised over $30,000 to help those in need access critical care, therapeutic services, life-changing equipment, and emergency supplies. Together, with your support, we have granted 11 requests for assistance. From tutoring that helped one young man bring his grades from failing to passing, to emergency therapy that helped stabilize a family with nowhere else to turn—your donations are helping children and families heal. You also helped us say yes to your neighbors with disabilities: a scooter for mobility, a window air conditioning unit to help reduce episodes of seizures, and a hearing device to increase participation in daily activities. Your support made these life-changing opportunities possible. And we aren’t done. You can help us continue to say yes by donating to the Bridge to Hope Fund. Visit depaulcr.org/bridge-to-hope today. Want to speak to someone about the fund? Call Daria VanRavestein at 540.589.6509.

Your Bridge to Hope Fund Support So Far

Donations $30,000

Goal $90,000

depaulcr.org/bridge-to-hope

How a Family’s Love Transcended Its Loss Story by Alison Wickline | Photos by Emily Ball Pictures

The bond between Curtis Hall and his daughter Beth is unbreakable—the love and trust they share immeasurable. That bond helped Curtis and Beth navigate the heartbreaking loss of her mother, Carolyn, in 2011. After his wife passed away, Curtis knew he had to be there for Beth as much as possible. She needed him more than ever. He chose to retire so he could stay home, be there for her, and take care of her. “I felt like it was my duty to see that her needs were met and be her caregiver at that point,” said Curtis. It wasn’t easy though. Not only was the family processing the difficult loss of Carolyn, but they were also adjusting to a new way of life and a new financial situation. When Curtis heard about DePaul and the sponsored residential program through a family friend, he thought it could be exactly what they needed. “We hoped we could do better than what we had been doing,” said Curtis. Curtis said the sponsored residential program provided his family education,

resources, and financial support. For Beth, who is naturally shy until she gets to know and trust people, the program also provided opportunities to branch out, meet new people, and explore new places. “She’s met a whole lot of friends that she wouldn’t have met without DePaul,” said Curtis. “It’s broadened her relationships and her world.” Speaking of relationships, years back, Beth forged a special bond with someone new. Wanda was a long-time special education teacher in the community—she even taught Beth. As Curtis said, once he and Wanda met outside of school, the rest was history. They were married and Beth began building that special bond with Wanda, sharing her love, and learning to trust. Beth stays busy these days. She loves listening to music, talking on the phone with family and friends, attending church, and visiting Dollywood. Some days, when Beth wants to talk about her mother, Curtis and Wanda are there … sometimes to talk, sometimes just to listen. The family is strong, thankful for every moment together and every memory made.

Volume XX • Number 1 • Spring 2022

4

I felt like it was my duty to see that her needs were met and be her caregiver at that point. CURTIS

Volume XX • Number 1 • Spring 2022

5

We weren’t looking for color, creed, nothing like that …The only thing we were looking for was a child to love. KEVIN

Volume XX • Number 1 • Spring 2022

6

How a Calling and a Commitment Changed a Family Forever Story by Alison Wickline | Photos by Joy Photography by Jennifer Kearney

could help a child in need and meet a need in their own community. “We weren’t looking for color, creed, nothing like that,” said Kevin. “The only thing we were looking for was a child to love.” They also credit DePaul staff members and DePaul trainings with giving them the confidence to embrace the unknown. “DePaul has been nothing short of a blessing to us,” said Kevin. The Stewarts hope that others will feel the call in their hearts to become foster parents, to embrace the unknown, to make an immeasurable impact on the life of a child like Isaiah.

When DePaul foster parents Kevin and Victoria Stewart opened their home to Isaiah, they made a commitment to care for him, to love him, and to be there for him as long as he needed them. Four years later, the adoption papers have been signed, the family has grown closer and stronger, and Isaiah is thriving. “Treating him as our own from day one gave him a safe space and a sense of belonging,” said Kevin. It took work from the whole family to get to this place. When Isaiah first came to the Stewarts, he was struggling in school, struggling with behavior issues, and struggling to process and understand what was happening in his life. He had been through different foster homes and different schools in a matter of months. He was just 5 years old.

“He had been through more in those early years than most of us go through in a lifetime,” said Victoria. As Isaiah settled into his new home and began feeling safe and loved, he blossomed. His grades went up, he surpassed milestones, he even started playing sports after initially being afraid of the noise and crowds that accompany sporting events. When Kevin and Victoria started their foster care journey, they had no way of knowing that Isaiah would become such an important part of their family and fit right in with their other children. When the Stewarts started their journey, they simply embraced the unknown, hoping they “He’s so full of joy and laughter,” said Victoria.

Volume XX • Number 1 • Spring 2022

7

Have you listened to DePaul’s newest podcast?

Imagine living part of your childhood in a system…moving from home to home … you’re floating and never finding a safe place to land. Then you age out of that system—you are too old to stay and not quite ready to go. Unsettled: Aging Out follows three former foster youth as they navigate life inside and outside the system. The podcast is part of Unsettled: A Storytelling Project from DePaul , a project created to inform, inspire, unite, and make change. Listen to Unsettled: Aging Out today by visiting our website: depaulcr.org/unsettled podcast. Or find it wherever you get your podcasts.

Showyour support for the important work of hope and belonging by donating today. Use the enclosed envelope or save a stamp and use theQR code above tomake a secure donation online.

Thank you for helping us celebrate our 45th birthday and first annual Day of Hope on March 7, 2022! You helped us raise funds, social media followers, and volunteers to help fuel our mission for another 45 years. If you missed the opportunity help us celebrate, it’s not too late. Visit depaulcr.org/dayofhope today. We can’t do this important work without you. Together we are changing lives…for the better.