Common Ground

Client Receives “New Lease on Life”

Jamie has suffered panic attacks his entire life. Living undiagnosed – he dealt with the attacks as part of his daily routine – until one day shortly after his 30th birthday. Departing from the office building where he worked, he suddenly found it impossible to make the descent to the ground floor. Repeated attempts to move toward the stairs only left him more frightened. After years of living in fear Jamie began to feel helpless and chaotic. Not only was he facing severe panic attacks but also manic depression, also known as bipolar disorder. Jamie’s behavior would alternate from states ...

Teen Gets Life Back on Track with CG Support

After graduating from high school Phyllis was forced to leave her job and her friends behind when she and her mother moved. The 17-year-old resented her mother’s decision, pushing their already rocky relationship to breakpoint. What was once arguing escalated to intense physical encounters. “If I went home, we would get in a fight and it would be dangerous.” Phyllis recalls. Phyllis’ mother told her to leave, forcing the teen to fend for herself. A friend offered Phyllis a place to stay, where she resided for only a few days. Knowing that Phyllis’ stay would be indefinite, her friend introduced her ...

Counseling Helps Survivor Grieve, Move Forward

“I hope it’s not someone I know,” Rita said, referring to her mother’s killer. However, it was someone Rita knew that stabbed her 92-year-old mother or “Granny,” as her close friends called her, Memorial weekend 2004 in Highland Twp. The police detectives on her mother’s case referred Rita to Common Ground for support, specifically the Victim Assistance Program’s Homicide Survivors Support Group. Desperate for relief from her heartache, Rita contacted Margo Eby, Victim Assistance Program Coordinator a month after her mother’s funeral. Rita, along with her close friends, Nancy and Doris, attended two 10-week support groups for homicide survivors, led by Eby, ...

Homeless Youth Finds Security, Purpose with CG Help

At age 14, Armon was living on the streets stealing to survive. For his crimes he spent five years in a juvenile detention facility. Upon his release, he thought he had no other option but to return to the streets and, if he was lucky, occasionally a friend’s couch. Then he was introduced to Common Ground. Armon applied and was accepted into the Graduated Apartment Program (GAP). Through the program, Common Ground subleases apartments to homeless young people for up to two years. The clients in the program are required to pay 30 percent of the rent, maintain employment and ...

Common Ground

Common Ground provides a lifeline for individuals and families in crisis, victims of crime, persons with mental illness, people trying to cope with critical situations and runaway and homeless youths. Helping people in need for more than 40 years, Common Ground serves more than 40,000 individuals per year. The majority of services are free of charge and 91 percent of every dollar received goes to direct service.