Community Stories

A year ago, Josef's path stalled: an injury, an opportunity gone, a long stretch of waiting for the next. What followed was something much stronger than a sudden breakthrough. Practice and the steady work of a young man who never gave up built this comeback story from numerous interviews, extra-long days, and repetitive classroom visits.

Devenie came to Easterseals Midwest looking for increased independence. What she gained was much more.

Quiet beginnings transformed into speaking with ease. It's a story about growth that arrives at the most pertinent of times.

She once stayed on the edge, watching and waiting. Now she asks questions. She tries.

With a lot of hard work, and the proper support, Kaylee is discovering what she can do and who she can become.

After years of moving between hospitals and nursing homes, Zach wanted more than another temporary stop. With support from Easterseals Midwest Community Living, he is rebuilding strength, hope, and day-to-day routine - with clear goals set.

Once, most of Jay's days were decided for him. Today, choice shapes his mornings, his movements, and his future. With support from Easterseals Midwest Community Living, Jays is reclaiming his independence - and discovering what freedom truly feels like.

What began as small, almost unnoticeable shifts - a steadier voice, a fuller calendar - became something far more lasting. Through PEERS, one family watched confidence move from theory to everyday practice, and a young person step forward into community and the beginnings of independence.

After a tornado upended her life, Melissa found something more than a new apartment.

She found a network of support that helped turn uncertainty into stability, and a space into a real home.

Once confined to only letters, Dominic discovered language as a way into the world. Through early intervention and a continuous partnership, communication became not only possible, but personal.

Before language could arrive, frustration spoke. Step by step, and at his own pace, Robert learned to communicate... building confidence, connection, and coherence along the way.

After decades of misunderstanding and self-doubt, Kristen transformed clarity into courage by using lived experience, hard-won insight, and compassion to help others find their voice.

With curiosity as her compass and confidence growing from each outing, Stephanie is widening her world - learning, exploring, and claiming independence with open hands and an open heart.

Following a sudden accident and unimaginable loss, Amy began the slow, steady work of finding her footing again; learning to trust her body, her voice, and the community that refused to let her walk the road alone.