News

Building a Life in Dana Village

December 9, 2024

By Bev Carlson, AVP, Marketing, Communications and Advocacy for Lutheran Family Services

For Sanchez, the road to Dana Village was a long and traumatic one. At only 18, he had lived in at least ten foster homes, and not all of them good ones. He’s still fighting the demons from horrific abuse, but finally, he says — he is on the road to healing. Still, he knows he has a long way to go.

Sanchez was facing immediate homelessness after his last birthday, but with the help of Lutheran Family Services (LFS) and others, he now has a place of his own at Dana Village in Blair.

In 2022, LFS assumed ownership of the former Dana College Campus — with the vision of helping someone just like Sanchez. With state and donor support, dorms were transformed into apartments. Many of the young people aging out of foster care can access specialized programming, like trauma therapy. The apartments also provide homes for low-income elderly and others meeting strict requirements. As of this writing, the apartments are almost fully occupied.

“I couldn’t believe it when I walked in,” Sanchez says. “It’s so fancy and clean, and nothing like I’ve ever seen before.” He was used to small, broken down, and dirty places — and this was nothing like that. He especially loves the microwave, “You just put something in, and it’s done in a minute!”

Sanchez works hard at the local fast-food restaurant. He says he hits his hours pretty fast, and they are quick to call him in when they need a shift filled or extra help. He’s saving money, he says, and he’s proud of his growing bank account, which he says was on his list of goals. He’s planning to buy his own car in February. “I have all of these goals. Because I live here, I can plan to go to college next year.” Sanchez plans to go to cosmetology school, which he’s actively working towards.

“I couldn’t have done this without Dana Village. I have a real future here.” he says. “I’ve never had that before.”

To learn more about the Dana Village project, you can visit OneLFS.org/Dana-Village. For more information about apartment rentals, visit danavillageblair.com. You can also ask questions and join the Dana Village mailing list by sending an email to dana@OneLFS.org.

Bev Carlson is the AVP of Marketing, Communications and Advocacy for Lutheran Family Services (LFS), a position she has held since January 2023. This is Bev’s second adventure at LFS, where she served as Director of Public Relations from 2010-2015. In the interim, she managed communications for the State of Nebraska during COVID, Mayor Jean Stothert’s re-election campaign, and other clients. Bev is a Nebraskan by marriage to a wonderful man from Cuming County, with whom she enjoys two adult children.