Client Success Stories
Get to know the people who call HIL home...
In October 2025, Dominik moved to HIL Kaufmann during a very difficult time in his life. His father had recently passed away, and Dominik had been staying at the hospital while waiting for a place to live. When he arrived, he was behind on his medical appointments and needed a lot of support.
At first, it was hard for Dominik to trust the people around him. This showed most during medical appointments, when he would refuse to get out of the car. To help him make friends and get out more, staff tried to sign him up for a day program at Paragon. However, Dominik struggled to get up in the morning and refused to get on the bus. Even when staff drove him there directly, he would not get out of the vehicle. Because of this, the day program was put on hold for a while.
Over the next few months, things began to improve. Dominik established a better sleep routine, which helped him start attending all of his medical appointments without any issues. To celebrate this progress, staff started taking him out for coffee after his appointments—a great motivator, since Dominik loves coffee with flavored creamers.
By May 2026, Dominik was ready for a new step. He started attending Camp Evergreen for his day program from Monday through Friday. While he still has tough days when he deeply misses his family, the staff are always there to support him through these hard moments. Today, Dominik is doing much better and enjoys crafts, cooking, baking, and coloring. He also loves scary movies and everything about Halloween.
Resident Spotlight: Meet Brooke!
Since joining the Apple House family in January 2019, Brooke has made incredible strides and become a shining example of growth, kindness, and community spirit.
When Brooke first moved to Apple House from her previous home, she faced the challenges that often come with a big life transition. Adjusting to new staff, new housemates, unfamiliar routines, and learning new daily living skills took time and patience. With determination and the support of her team, Brooke embraced each new opportunity and has continued to grow every step of the way.
Today, Brooke is known as the social butterfly of Apple House! She loves chatting with staff and peers, making new friends, and bringing smiles to those around her. Whether she's catching up with friends or welcoming someone new into a conversation, Brooke's warm personality helps everyone feel included.
Over the past seven years, Brooke has also become much more independent in her daily routines and enjoys taking an active role around the house. She loves helping staff with simple tasks like baking and other household activities, something that once felt challenging but has now become one of her favorite ways to contribute. Her willingness to lend a helping hand is just one of the many qualities that make Brooke so special.
During the week, Brooke attends her day program, where she continues to build skills and friendships. When she's not at her program, you'll likely find her enjoying one of her favorite activities: watching movies, coloring, singing along to her favorite music, having spa days, or simply acting silly and having fun. She especially enjoys community events and spending time with friends from Apple House and other HIL homes.
Ask Brooke what she loves most about living at Apple House, and she'll tell you it's the people. The friendships she's built with her peers, the caring staff who support her, and the adventures she shares with the HIL community have made Apple House feel like home.
We are so proud of everything Brooke has accomplished since joining HIL. Her growth, positive attitude, caring heart, and joyful spirit inspire everyone around her. We can't wait to see all the wonderful things she'll continue to achieve in the years ahead!
Congratulations, Brooke! Thank you for making Apple House such a fun, caring, and welcoming place for everyone.
Sabrina is a 34-year-old who has been living with Homes for Independent Living since July 2020. In May 2023, she moved to our Parker program, and she absolutely loves it there! One of her favorite things about Parker is being so close to everything in Green Bay, she loves being within walking distance of almost all her favorite spots.
Some of Sabrina’s favorite hobbies include riding her bike, listening to all kinds of music, spending time with her family, and shopping. On a typical day, you can find Sabrina going for a few walks (or riding her brand-new bike), chatting with her mom and dad, heading to Dollar General to grab a soda, and listening to music with staff. Every now and then, she loves to get dressed up, put on some makeup, and have a mini photoshoot!
Sabrina has grown so much since joining the Homes for Independent Living family, and she is incredibly grateful for the staff who have supported her from the very beginning. Thanks to the teamwork between Sabrina and her staff, she has worked through past elopement challenges, which paved the way for her move to Parker. Sabrina shares that living at Parker has given her a wonderful sense of independence.
Currently, Sabrina is working with DVR to find a job, with her sights set on a cleaning position. Staff are working closely with her to practice her cleaning skills, so she feels confident and prepared when she lands her dream job.
Sabrina and her team are dedicated to supporting her goals and helping her explore new opportunities in the community. We are so excited to see what the future holds for Sabrina, and we are incredibly lucky to have her as part of our home!
