Title
Courageous Stories
Highlighting community stories of courage, strength and resiliency
Section
Moving On Up
It’s been a long time coming, but Dyland Allen, fondly known as Mr. Allen, is finally moving into his own apartment. It’s two days before move-out day, and Mr. Allen is ready. His belongings are packed, he's chosen the perfect spot for his TV, and he carries a Walter Payton football card in his pocket—a cherished reminder of his Chicago… Read this story »
From Needle to Paintbrush, The Power of Art
Over the course of eight weeks at Wilder's Center for Social Healing, local Hmong artist Tshab Her led Hmong elders through a workshop inspired by the traditional Hmong story cloth. This workshop provided the opportunity for the Hmong participants to reimagine the needlework art form through painting. Alongside teaching creativity, this… Read this story »
The Legacy of Richard Chase and Sherman Devitt: Transforming Early Childhood Development
What began as a temporary assignment for Richard Chase, turned into a lifelong commitment to early childhood development, a cause that would intertwine with the generosity and vision of Sherman Devitt, his father-in-law. In May 2024, when Sherman passed away, he left a surprise that revealed the depths of his commitment to impacting… Read this story »
We’re All in This Together: JoAnna’s Story of Resilience and Support
JoAnna knew they needed help when Ty, her son, struggled to understand her and resorted to non-verbal communication at daycare. Both felt frustrated and confused, but everything changed when she found a community and resources that could help. Today, Ty is confident, and JoAnna is thankful for the Wilder Child Development Center's… Read this story »
Renee and John Nagels’ devotion to family creates a legacy at Wilder
For nearly 20 years, Wilder donors John and Renee Nagel hosted a weekly “Grandma and Grandpa Day” for their eight grandchildren. In the beginning, they lined babies up in the hallway for diaper changes. As the kids grew, they hosted wiener roasts and water balloon fights and drove their grandkids through their neighborhood in an antique… Read this story »
Spanish Lessons by Volunteer Sonya Wilson Enrich Learning at the Wilder Child Development Center
"Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” While the origin of this quote is uncertain, Wilder volunteer Sonya Wilson embodies its spirit. Sonya, a Spanish teacher and business owner, provides pro bono Spanish language instruction to preschoolers at the Wilder Child Development Center. Read this story »
The Judy Ohm Scholarship honors a late, longtime director of Wilder’s Child Development Center with support for the whole family
When Theodora needed childcare for her daughter, Heavenly, she knew it would be expensive. She planned to clean more houses each week to cover the cost.“I thought I could afford it,” she says. “But paying for daycare stressed me more than paying my mortgage,” she said. Read this story »
With Saint Paul Promise, Ahmani found a community that supports her journey to be the best parent possible
Ahmani Curtis does everything she can to help her three young sons dream big.She has taken parenting classes to learn about child development. She has saved some money so they can go to college someday. She’ll also keep her growing family – a baby is on the way – living in Saint Paul.“My life has been transformed here,” she says. “It’s… Read this story »