Success Stories

When Lloyd Matheny was six days old, he was introduced to his foster mom, who adopted him after caring for him for a year. He grew up in an attentive, loving family on Chicago’s South Side – overcoming a congenital foot ailment. Today, he is a student at National Louis University studying social work, with a passion for poetry and helping others.

Chicago Housing Authority residents who participated in the newly-minted “LevelUp” wealth-building program received their certificates of completion and celebrated their financial independence this month at a ceremony at the Charles A. Hayes Family Investment Center.

When Lloyd Matheny was six days old, he was introduced to his foster mom, who later adopted him after caring for him for a year. He grew up in an attentive, loving family on Chicago’s South Side – overcoming a congenital foot ailment. Today, he is a junior at National Louis University studying social work, with an innate passion for poetry and helping others.

Jamara Fleming had been going through a rough time. She had a crisis with her infant son and didn’t have a stable job. That’s when she decided to attend a Metropolitan Family Services job-ready program that led to a carpentry certification.

For as long as she could remember, Daijah Pierce was interested in the health care field. But she never expected to get a first-hand view of the profession – until, she was diagnosed with Lupus shortly after starting high school. Lupus, an inflammatory disease caused by the immune system attacking its own tissues, took an excruciating toll. Today, she battles the condition daily.

In 1989, Jose Serrano was desperate. He was recently married and had two young daughters. He had a manufacturing job but wasn’t making ends meet. He needed a lifeline. 

De’Jah Donahue has taken advantage of the Chicago Housing Authority’s full range of resources during her time as a high school and college student. She interned in the Resident Services department and worked in the Youth Opportunities division.