Stories of Hope

My name is Makala Stambaugh. I am a 16-year-old junior at Jenkins High School, where I am also a member of the Operation UNITE Club. Previously, I lived with my two brothers and parents who survived paycheck to paycheck. We struggled mainly because a large percentage...

For as long as I can remember, I have had troubled relationships with my parents. Though I did not know it at the time, I was treated different than my sister because we did not share the same biological father. My punishments were more extreme and...

Ashley McCarty was a 4.0 student in school and graduated from Eastern Kentucky University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. As a pharmaceutical sales representative, she was ranked by her employer as a top five sales representative out of 10,000...

Screaming. Cussing. Cocaine use by both parents. Mom routinely passing out and burning holes in the couch with a lit cigarette. That was home for Forest Quillen and his two sisters until they went into foster care.Forest never wanted to become his parents....

My name is John Ryan Finley, I’m 32 years old and I’m from Breckinridge County, Kentucky. I had a great childhood. I was raised by good, Christian parents who always made sure I attended church, Sunday school, Bible school, and every other church-related...

My name is Myra Moore Elam. I am from Martin, Kentucky. I come from a wonderful family. My mom taught special education at Floyd County schools for 25 years. My dad owned a reclamation company that was really successful.I was loved. I was taught right from...

Hello, my name is William Noble. I am a child of the one true King in heaven. My story begins on March 6,1984. I was born in Hazard. My father was an addict of a variety of drugs. I can't really remember much about my mother except her fighting with my...

Prayer and a UNITE treatment voucher changed Tucker Smith’s life.Born in Louisville, Tucker moved to Breathitt County when he was five. His dad was hard-working but also an alcoholic, and his parents went through a couple of divorces. Tucker spent time...

She was born in Japan on a naval base. Her mom had a massive stroke after delivery, so she and her mother basically grew up together. She really raised herself. She started using drugs and sleeping with grown men at age 13, moved out at age 14.She then had...