Success Stories

Since its inception, Hillcrest Ministries has helped over 300 homeless families return to self-sufficiency and become productive citizens. Those families included approximately 1,000 people who have been touched by the hope Hillcrest provides.

The Hillcrest model has proven successful not only in Liberty, Missouri but has also given direction to eleven other programs in ten different cities. At last count, Hillcrest serves as a model for more than 140 units, which house 423 families annually. The follow-up on this program, and those modeled after it, has proven that the vast majority of families leave these programs as independent citizens with the skills and hope they need to contribute to their commitments.

A Common Hillcrest Transitional Housing Resident Family
Kelly, a single mother with three children, grew up in an at-risk, dysfunctional family environment of abuse and neglect in poverty. Not only had she never learned life-skills like parenting, healthy eating, and problem solving, she never had a network of support. Kelly was married at age 17 and was married for five years to a mentally and physically abusive husband who ultimately left her with the children.

Her now ex-husband is required to make child support payments but doesn’t and Kelly had to move from one friend’s apartment to another. After one of these friends sexually molested her oldest girl, Kelly began sleeping with the children in her car. Her ex-husbanded called children’s services on her for neglect and the Division of Family Services referred her to Hillcrest.

After 90 days of life-skills training, tough love accountability, encouragement and full-time employment, Kelly graduated from the Hillcrest program and three years later has maintained a full-time job and kept her children in school. She rented an apartment for the first two years and then purchased her own home.

The Kansas City Area is full of “Kellys” that need another chance to get back on their feet.