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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.

Three CHA students participating in DePaul’s “Become a Filmmaker” program got the chance of a lifetime in 2023 - traveling to the Cannes (France) Film Festival - thanks to the generosity of Chicago businesswoman Chaz Ebert, who funded the trip. 

Former Housing Choice Voucher holder Samantha Stokes grew up one of four children living under the roof of hard-working parents. Ends didn’t always meet, and she remembers being evicted as a child – something she vowed never to experience as an adult.

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.

Freddie Jones-Smith is an HCV property owner in Chicago who owns two three-flat buildings and a single-family home. She has been able to understand the rules and regulations of a complex industry because of the information she received at the CHA Owner Symposium. 

CHA’s new HCV Health and Wellness Program offers support to participants who are experiencing life stressors that place them at risk of housing instability or other situations that create difficulties in their daily lives.

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.