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The Other Side

Two hands work within spinach leaves at the Central Iowa Shelter and Services Greenhouse.
The Other Side

Meet Tinesha

The Other Side: Tinesha. Before entering the Shelter, Tinesha was employed as a certified nurse’s aide and was determined to carve out a successful future for herself. But when a cascade of obstacles hit her

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Tammy, a CISS community member, smiling at the camera.
The Other Side

Meet Tammy

The Other Side: Tammy lived with her boyfriend in Des Moines until he passed away, leaving her grieving and with nowhere to live. With an eviction on her record, it was difficult to find her

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Headshot of Brazille from CISS's The Other Side Series.
The Other Side

Meet Brazille

Brazille was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas. With a high school diploma and 12 years of management and customer service skills, she wanted to further her education. So, in August of 2021, Brazille

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Headshot of Eugina from CISS's The Other Side Series.
The Other Side

Meet Eugina

While growing up on the east side of Des Moines, Eugina’s family owned a food truck business that was known for their “guinea grinders” sandwiches. She attended East High School for ninth grade but later

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Headshot of Karen from CISS's The Other Side Series.
The Other Side

Meet Karen

In her early twenties, Karen was kicked out of her family home and relied on waitressing or nursing to get by. Her disability made it challenging to keep jobs and she eventually lost her home.

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Headshot of Troy from CISS's The Other Side Series.
The Other Side

Meet Troy

For this week’s The Other Side, we’d like to introduce you to Troy. Troy first experienced homelessness while living in Washington, D.C. He saved up enough money to purchase a bus ticket to Des Moines,

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Headshot of Isata from CISS's The Other Side Series.
The Other Side

Meet Isata

In 1999, Isata made the difficult decision to leave war-torn Liberia, her family, and the only home she has ever known to seek a better life in the United States. After an exhausting and emotional

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Headshot of Henry from CISS's The Other Side Series.
The Other Side

Meet Henry

For this week’s The Other Side Story, we’d like to introduce you to Henry. Born and raised in Des Moines, Henry spent time in and out of prison for most of his life. He did

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Headshot of Bruce from CISS's The Other Side Series.
The Other Side

Meet Bruce

For this week’s The Other Side Story, we’d like to introduce you to Bruce. Five years ago, Bruce left Florida and moved to Iowa to be with his sister. When she passed away, Bruce not

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Sun shining through trees at a park
The Other Side

Meet Matt

Originally from Iowa, Matt’s profession led him to Oregon, where there was a promise of better wages. However, high rental costs led to him living out of his truck. He eventually moved to Oklahoma, where

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