For a child, having one loving parent is the key to lifelong success. Zach Moore knows that: his mother Diane did everything she could to make his life better. Diane overcame great challenges—she had a 25-year history of psychiatric hospitalization and institutionalization— to provide stability and love for Zach. “I was her priority. She wanted to be well for me,” he says. ICL was there to support them.

Jennifer spent her childhood in foster care and residential treatment programs before moving to ICL’s Livonia Avenue Residence at age 18. “When I got to Livonia, I didn’t know how to explain my feelings. I got angry and became violent. The staff helped me change and become the person I never thought I could be.”

Livonia offers independent living for youth transitioning out of foster care, psychiatric hospitals, or residential treatment facilities. Often, these young people have little experience with independent living, and most do not have family they can rely on. The program helps them transition into the community and meet their goals, like finishing high school, applying to college, and working.

Last year, life brought joy and heartbreak to Georgina: she married the love of her life and had a healthy baby boy, but then her husband was tragically killed. Suddenly, she was a widow mourning the death of her best friend and support system, while managing a home and caring for her son. That is when she learned about the ICL Hope Center (844-ICL-HOPE), the entry point to our vast array of services.