By Sarah Mathe Homelessness can happen to anyone. Meet John, 38, who is originally from the Philippines. As a child, he learned how to draw by copying pictures from a phone book. Eight years ago, he received his visa and moved to Algonquin to live with his sister and her family. As time passed, the…
By Sarah Mathe It’s hard to imagine that the 28-year old woman sitting across from me, full of energy and life, found it difficult to speak. The morning of Thursday, August 14, 2008, changed Bridget’s life. She woke up with a rope tied around her neck and a man sexually assaulting her. He bashed her…
By Cjay Harmer, Prevention Specialist As a parent you never want to believe that your child has been targeted by a bully. Often your child will struggle to deal with the situation on their own, not wanting to call attention to it. But, there are some common signs that you can look for if you…
Andrea and her son, Zachary, came to Pioneer Center the year after he was born. Born with multiple disabilities, caring for Zachary was overwhelming. The sheer number of doctor appointments and the life expectancy diagnosis placed on her son were a constant source of worry and stress. Through her work over the past few years…
You may know Buddyz for their great food and fun atmosphere. But did you know that the McHenry pizza place also offers great opportunities to Pioneer Center clients? Since they opened in September 2010, Buddyz has actively hired clients from Pioneer Center’s Community Employment Services program. In fact, two individuals have worked there since the…
