Futures (2026) | Children's Home Association of Illinois

We believe every child in our community deserves an opportunity to succeed despite the insurmountable barriers  they face.

This May, we invite you to join us in building more futures worth fighting for.

Change doesn’t happen in a single moment, and neither do the stories that inspire us.

This year, we’re revisiting a few of the individuals who opened their lives to us—Jatavia in 2022 and Shephrah in 2024—to see how their journeys have evolved. We checked back in to witness the growth, the milestones, and the hard-earned steps forward that have unfolded since we last sat together, and to hear what they’re dreaming toward now.

The future they once imagined is taking shape. These updates share where they are today and the futures you helped build along the way. Read and watch their story updates below.

“I don’t want everything I went through to be just a moment in the past. I want to use the work I’ve done—and the tools in my toolbox—to help repair someone else’s way of living.”

-Shephrah

Shephrah’s Story

Meet Shephrah

When we first met Shephrah in 2024, she was just beginning to find her way out of a difficult chapter in her mental health journey—one she described as climbing out of a dark well. With the steady support of our Behavioral Health team, she discovered healing in unexpected places, learning how music, poetry, and the arts could help her process and regulate.

Even then, Shephrah looked forward with hope. She began to imagine a future filled with purpose and possibility, dreaming of college and a life where she could make a difference.

Today, that dream is becoming reality. As a college student approaching graduation, Shephrah continues to lean into the tools and support she learned along the way. Inspired by the care she once received, she now hopes to create the same sense of healing and hope for kids like her.

Watch her story.

“It makes me happy to know there are people out there who care—they don’t have to be the same race as you or share your bloodline. I carry that with me from the (Prevention) program.”

-Jatavia

Meet Jatavia

When we first spoke with Jatavia in 2022, she was navigating motherhood to two young daughters while grieving the unimaginable loss of her first child. Jatavia knows all too well that grief is a journey—one that shifts and changes from day to day, year to year.

Recently, we had the chance to sit back down with her and learn how she continues to grow and blossom, even while carrying deep pain. With guidance from our Prevention team at Children’s Home, Jatavia has been supported through the then and the now—both life’s hardest moments and the healing that followed.

Today, Jatavia has welcomed a new son and is enrolled in a local radiology program. She continues to show up every day striving to be the best mom she can be—giving her children the childhood she may not have had, but knows they deserve.

Watch her story.

Jatavia’s Story

Donating to Children’s Home means changing the lives of the kids who will change the world.

The services we provide don’t just impact the individual, they create positive ripple effects within their immediate family, neighborhood, and community. When you support you help us celebrate how far they come—and help build the futures that are still being written.

Thank you!

Your generous gift allows us to continue our mission of helping the kids and families who need it most.