A Place to Call Home

By Sue Walker, Chief Program Officer James came to Hammer in 1948 when he was 11 years old. He had been living in an institution in Rockford, Illinois where he had a few relatives. They stayed in contact with him throughout the years by sending letters, and gifts on holidays and for his birthday....

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Showcasing Our Homes–The Emery Home

Each of our Hammer & NER homes is unique because of the people who live and work there. Each month we will “showcase” one of our homes (or apartment programs) and celebrate the people who live there and the staff who support them. In this edition, we would like to introduce you to the people...

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Two Places to Call Home: Willie’s Story

by Nate Reed, NER Development, Fundraising Manager I had the opportunity to sit down with Kelly and Theresa Daily at the Allen home in Little Canada as they prepared to pick up their son, Willie, for his daily visit to their home. “While we love having him come home daily,” Theresa says, “we know...

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Johnetta’s Journey

HAMMER’S EDUCATION GRANTS SUPPORT CAREER DEVELOPMENT by Jennifer L. Hipple, Communications Specialist When Johnetta Sumo was just 8 years old, she wanted to be a doctor. Growing up in Liberia, she saw her mother pass away at a very young age. “They weren’t able to help her,” Johnetta...

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