Our stories make us who we are. They connect us and inspire us and help us become better. Meet some of the people sharing their stories with us.

Josefina has been a foster parent for nearly 20 years. She took her first case—twin girls—when a mother she’d known for years had a case

For over two years, Jonatan was a resident of CHD’s Crossover program in Hartford, CT, one of CHD’s Residential Rehabilitation Services (RRS) serving individuals with

Mary Andrewes has been a volunteer for CHD’s Court-Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Hampden County for over six years, and prior to, has always been a dedicated advocate for children in need.   A retired educator of

Deveron McCummings has been a Therapeutic Mentor (TM) with CHD’s Children’s Behavioral Health Initiative (CBHI) services for over three years, working with a range of

When Corey Smith was about 15, she ran into some behavioral trouble that led her through a series of residential treatment programs in her journey

After Jan lost both her husband and mother to cancer, she wanted to do something to help others through this difficult diagnosis. She chose to

Aaron has been a volunteer for CHD All In: Barrier-Free Recreation Sled Hockey program for nine years. With the program, Aaron has helped coach the

The Barnharts have been with CHD from the beginning. Their work to enhance the lives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities has set the

Founder and CEO of Pride Stores Bob Bolduc and his wife Roberta support the community in a variety of ways, their main focus being children,

As lead help desk technician at CHD, the very nature of Joe’s role is to lend a helping hand. During business hours, Joe solves IT

In 2015, Johnathan and Jillian were struggling to make ends meet. They had full-time jobs and aspirations of making it in the music business. They

Shannon has loved horses since she was little, even working on horse farms as an adult. “I want to work with animals again,” she says.

Drinking in high school transformed Victoria into a “social butterfly,” she recalls. Before long, however, life was full of unexpected sorrows. Carrying a baby to

In 2017, Julio’s home in Puerto Rico was destroyed by Hurricane Maria. His family lived on an outdoor basketball court for nearly a week before

At 17, Omar never thought he’d be chasing sobriety. In high school, he began smoking weed and drinking beer. It felt manageable — almost like

There are many factors that go into the outreach, intake, shelter, and housing of those at risk of instability. From readying apartments to ensuring that

It’s a sunny day in late November. Skies are blue, but the wind whipping off Quabbin Reservoir is unforgiving. Bob is in his element. Years

Dee’s day starts shortly after sunrise in a small office she shares with a colleague. She pores over neatly kept notes to help organize days

Jerome was living a satisfying young life. He had a supportive family and friends, earned good grades, loved music, and had a well-paying job. That

For Francine, problem solving has always come naturally. Since adolescence, friends and family have been seeking her advice. “I’ve always loved to brainstorm and figure