She “was a bright shining light of a human being,” Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon, who went to law school with Hortman, said in a post on X. CNN’s Isabelle Chapman, Curt Devine, Yahya Abou-Ghazala, Anna-Maja Rappard, Scott Glover, John Miller and Rob Kuznia contributed to this report. More than an hour later, emergency personnel shared details with dispatchers about the victims in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, at the home of Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark. Police are searching for 57-year-old Vance Boelter, the suspect in the assassination of a Minnesota lawmaker and the attempted assassination of another. Although Boelter, 57, lived in the small town of Green Isle about an hour outside Minneapolis, he often stayed in the rented home of his longtime friend in the city. Police are searching for 57-year-old Vance Boelter, the suspect in the killing of a Minnesota lawmaker and the shooting of another.
Martha’s House of Hope, founded by Roman Catholic individuals, according to its website, provides emergency housing for pregnant mothers. The organization opened in 2020 to support mothers and pregnant women experiencing homelessness or housing instability. It can be difficult to find affordable housing while taking care of a baby on your own, Martha’s House of Hope knows. That’s why the Ames nonprofit is expanding its services to provide more opportunities for mothers who need extra help finding a safe place to raise their child. She has a scholarship and is attending Metro State University of Denver where she is working toward an RN degree.
Family Stories
She also completed our Parenting, Healthy Relationships, and Financial Literacy classes – as well as an internship at Head Start. “For the first time in my life, I feel stable and stress free. And I couldn’t have gotten here without Maverick House to get me started,” says Brittani. Maverick House Foundation, a 501(c)3 organization, provides services to adults with developmental disabilities exclusively in their own homes or apartments — regardless of how complex their disabilities may be.
June 14, 2025 – News on the manhunt for gunman who shot Minnesota lawmakers
Our vision is to transform the lives of teen moms and their children. Initially, many parents and family members of the over 120 people Maverick House supports were, too. Their children had aged out of Hampton Roads’ special education system, and were ready for adult services and support. Many worried that cognitive limitations, medical challenges, behavioral issues, or other conditions, such as autism, would make it impossible for their loved ones to live safely in their own apartments. “A lot of these moms are coming from very dire, extreme circumstances, and we’re here to give them hope for the future,” Brown said. “We really want to empower these mothers to create stable and nurturing environments for their children, and to break that cycle of homelessness and housing insecurity to have a generational impact.”
- A dedicated volunteer who taught Sunday school and loved dogs.
- Make a difference in the lives of abused children by donating or volunteering.
- The ball club honored the moment with a mural at Section 140 where Leo was seen standing to rally the team in the team’s pinstripes.
- While it’s great to see Hope having a good time, the game doesn’t actually allow her character model to leave the House of Hope.
Huge manhunt underway for Vance Boetler, suspected of assassinating top Minnesota lawmaker. Here’s the latest
Janely, Alejandra’s 9-month-old-daughter, is also enrolled in the Early Learning Program. At first, Alejandra said, “I was hesitant because of bad experiences I had with babysitters for Janely, but I got to meet the staff and they’re really nice and I’m never far away from Janely which is really great”. Alejandra has also taken other classes including Parenting 101, Relationship Classes, and Self-Care classes. Surrounded by staff and volunteers who encouraged her, Janelle began to feel hope. Stephanie is no longer the vulnerable, frightened teen mom who applied to Maverick House. Brittani was born into poverty and chaos — and her mother struggled with cancer and her father with kidney failure.
- She has a scholarship and is attending Metro State University of Denver where she is working toward an RN degree.
- The closest facility to Ames was in Des Moines, meaning a mother in need of a safe home would have to relocate to access those services.
- “The idea started in the parking lot of their church,” Brown said.
- Martha’s House of Hope mothers receive one-on-one case management during their stay.
Police found writings in the vehicle that included a hit list with nearly 70 names. Those named are mostly Democratic politicians or figures with ties to abortion rights, including Minnesota lawmakers Rep. Ilhan Omar and Sen. Tina Smith. Up to 40 women and children are welcomed as guests each night in our clean, Review Maverick House safe shelter. More than a roof over their head, our shelter is a place that provides a sense of safety and security and surrounds women with support needed to work on the root problems that led to homelessness. Our Center for Women and Children is one of the few local shelters to welcome children.
The Viola Family Foundation
“The idea started in the parking lot of their church,” Brown said. “These people came together and said, ‘We need to do this’ and started from the ground up.” Founders Carol and John Nelson, Jill and John Sankovitch, and Cyndi and Ed Volcko put their heads together, determined to provide such a space. Janelle and her boys eventually became homeless — sleeping in a car, on the ground, or in homeless shelters. Sleeping in a car was actually a good night because the ground was cold and the shelters were crowded, smelly and scary.
Martha’s House of Hope is run entirely by small donations, small grants and support from local organizations and churches. Mothers at the new transitional home receive help with meal planning, home management and general parenting. Martha’s House of Hope mothers receive one-on-one case management during their stay. Martha’s House of Hope sprouted out of necessity, filling a glaring gap in nearby maternity homes. The closest facility to Ames was in Des Moines, meaning a mother in need of a safe home would have to relocate to access those services. Make a difference in the lives of abused children by donating or volunteering.
Carlson said Boelter was a conservative who voted for President Donald Trump and was strongly against abortion rights. But he said Boelter never mentioned any particular issue with the lawmakers who were shot, and said he was stunned to learn that he is a suspect in the attacks. “We also have volunteers that come in and provide meals for the mom, or organize their rooms when they come home from the hospital. (Volunteers) are so important for our organization; they’re incredible.” Brown remembers the maternity home helping a mother who worked hard to provide her child with a safe environment, but a few past issues were preventing her from securing housing. The nonprofit recently purchased a new house, which will provide an additional 12 months of housing as mothers transition from living in the maternity home to on their own. She feels safe and is excited to provide an environment for Julian that is supportive and caring, two things she longed for as a child.
She knew she would have to work hard — her first educational assessment placed her at 5th grade. Alondra also had to overcome homelessness and generational poverty.
Maverick House is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to ending the cycle of child abuse in our community by providing a path to recovery, a bridge to justice for victims of abuse, and education for the community. Since becoming a Maverick House Mom, Alejandra has been able to finish her GED through Penn Foster in February of 2022 and is incredibly thankful for the support and motivation she had through Maverick House Staff. She attended the GED graduation in May 2022 and gave the graduation speech.
“I think there’ll be a little arm twisting, a little gnashing of teeth. But I think the president will deliver like he always does. Don’t count him out.” There’s also ongoing frustration from a number of GOP lawmakers who want to protect access to Medicaid, the federal-state health insurance program for people with disabilities and low-income adults. Dr. Joy Henningsen said she flew in from Nashville for the event.
The South Side native’s message was aimed particularly at young people. Her family dynamics were difficult, and at an early age she felt neglected and left to fend for herself. As a preteen, she was given freedom without the tools to navigate it. Landing in the wrong circle of friends, Fatima began smoking and drinking at age 10.
Similar issues became more frequent than expected, so the organization developed a support system to help women transition from the maternity home to their own place. “A big part of what we provide is that environment,” Brown said. “The (mothers) are living together, working together to raise their children, meet their goals and work through their challenges, but then also celebrate their successes together.” Martha’s House of Hope was founded in 2016 and moved into its current maternity house in 2019. The maternity home has housed 32 mothers and their babies over the past five years. Could help buy essential nursing equipment to care for children.