The Strength to Succeed - Achieving Financial Stability and Success with John H. Boner Community Center

Valerie Davis’ journey may have been interrupted by homelessness, but her perseverance and commitment to family ensured she was able to achieve her greater potential. 

After giving birth to her daughter, Courtney, Valerie was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and postpartum depression. She soon realized that the love she had for her daughter was not solely enough to get by – she “had to do better.” 

She found her better -- through her own strength and support from the John H. Boner Community Center, a proud partner of United Way of Central Indiana. 

For 50 years, the Boner Center has been inspiring neighbors and partners to improve the quality of life on the near eastside by providing tools for change and growth. 

“If you know better, you can do better,” Valerie said. “I knew I had to do better because I had to be a mother for my daughter.” 

Through programs available at the community center, Valerie was able to secure a one-bedroom apartment. But it wasn’t long after she moved in that Valerie received an unexpected phone call from James Taylor, CEO of The Boner Center. 

Taylor personally called Valerie to see if she would be interested in having her own home. Hesitant at first, Valerie ultimately agreed. 

“I said, ‘yeah right! I’m not trying to do that,” Valerie said. “I’m stable, I’m on my medicine, and I’m functioning. But he wore me down.” 

Valerie ended up enrolling in Financial Foundations, a program that helps clients access the resources and gain the confidence needed to set and achieve goals, both short and long-term. 

She remembers sitting with staff at The Boner Center and going through her credit report, line by line. Although a “horrible” exercise at first, Valerie quickly realized their help drastically improved her credit score. 

“I was able to save up for a down payment on a home, and now I have my own home. I have a mortgage that I will be paying the rest of my life. I have two bedrooms – my own room now where I can shut my door for a little privacy,” [instead of on Courtney] Valerie laughed. “And I know it’s because of the John H. Boner Community Center.” 

If it weren’t for the dedicated team members at The Boner Center, the financial stability programming and resources, and the fight within Valerie to not only be better, but do better, she knows she wouldn’t have achieved all she has today.

“Sometimes these community centers around the city, you don’t know what they have to offer, but they really have some life-saving resources,” Valerie said. “And I’m very thankful for them on my side of town.”