Who We Are

I started in 2000 working in my very own Community on Chicago’s west side East Garfield Park. Spreading out to the greater Chicago area, and surrounding suburbs focusing on disadvantage communities. I had no idea what was out there nor what to expect, what I came upon was that there were many and the demand for help was high.

My passion grew into a mission and the rest became my life devotion to feeding the homeless, furnishing homes, clothing families, delivering groceries, providing researched resources to offer other ways to give creating events to gather people in communion to help by the hundreds. I also ran and managed my own monthly soup Kitchen feeding 100’s of families from 2010-2015, due to new management I lost my space, causing me to shut down but in those 5 years we fed over 8,000 people. In 2014 I created my own petition asking Florida to lift its ban on feeding the homeless. I got 1614 signatures in less than a month who believed in not me but the homeless community.

In 2015, I helped host and organized asleep out on the Northside of Chicago called “Up Town Tent City.” I raised money to purchase 75 thermal sleeping bags, 50 tents to pass out to the homeless. Along with lawyers, advocates, supporters and other homeless people, we had over 100 in attendance.

It didn’t stop there, my heart took bigger leaps of faith by providing my first-floor empty apartment to take in 47 women and children in the course of 18 years in hopes of helping them get back on their feet, find a job, and know that they were not alone. My new guest varied from single mothers with their children, women whom I had been feeding out in the streets, battered housewife’s fleeing from their husbands to teen girls.

In 2016, my mission developed a new focus, to build and strive in a new direction, a desire to work with teens and young women. A direction to inspire, motivate, and grow, not only self-worth but show by example of victory ……. Rise-Up became my new vision, a new branch from my Humble Hearts Organization. A mentoring group for girls who are suffering from Mental disorders, and Disabilities caused by trauma. Focusing on awareness, advocating and support for Suicide Prevention, PTSD, and Depression.

Carol Boyd - President

Bio

I grew up in poverty, living in low income neighborhoods my whole life, watching my parents struggle to make ends meet. I didn’t realize we were poor until I was in middle school. The older I got the more I realized that I must look different. I wondered why people were always giving my mom clothes, why are we waiting in line for food? It then hit me, that we were poor. That is when the humiliation set in from then on, I grew up ashamed, as I paid attention to who was looking at us, and the conditions we lived in. Our gas and electric were always off, my brothers and I were going to school without baths and depending on school meals to feed us throughout the day. This was our lifestyle, my father was an alcoholic, and both my parents were physically, and verbally abusive. Emotional neglect was felt throughout my childhood life. I was molested several times by 2 uncles simultaneously. I will also tell you that my own mother solicited me to an elderly male neighbor who invaded my body for money. This money would be handed over to my dad for beer, and cigarettes. My mother called me names such as a “dirty bitch”, and “whore.” I was not only subject to this my brothers were as well. My mother was an angry woman and would say things like, “I wish I didn’t have kids” or “I wish you weren’t born" as she beat us. There are so many stories I could tell, I just wanted to provide some insight into my upbringing to help you understand why it is that I do what I do. In my world, I believe the people I help are no different from me, many are preconditioned to some form of abuse, addiction or trauma from generations of poverty that is why I can relate with them. That is why I serve a housing first mentality with no questions asked ....Just serve and help!

My life didn’t get any better, in fact it got worse. When I was 15 years old, nearly 5 months away from 16, I couldn’t take the abuse any longer, so I ran away from home. I became homeless by choice, I didn’t have a clue where I was going to stay, I just knew I wasn’t going to stay under the same roof as my parents. I dropped out of High School as I turned to the streets where I met a life of unlimited rules a bird freed from a cage. I joined a gang where I was shown a whole new world of freedom, drugs, & sex. I got hooked on cocaine and smoking crack, then moved onto acid trips to smoking Scherms / Wicked sticks [marijuana dipped in Embalming fluid] an addiction that led me to do things and seek a life of hustling, & solicitation.

This life had me sleeping in different people’s homes until my welcome had overstayed. Then it was sleeping on the streets, to doorways, hallways of homes, and enclosed gangways, including abandoned buildings. I ended up getting my body taken without my consent by my drug dealer due to mental issues, my past abuse & low self-esteem I allowed him to keep me as his property. He was 12 yrs older than me and at that time gave me a roof over my head. When he got arrested for murder and I became homeless again a friend and her mother took me in until I was almost 8 months pregnant.

After the birth of my child, I got cleaned up and back on track, life still was not done taking my spirit away as my daughter was born with water on the brain from my drug abuse. At 1 week old, she had to have a spinal tap to remove the water, I was told she would or could develop a learning disability. Through prayer and focused faith, my child was saved with grace. She proved us all wrong as she was an honor roll student her whole school life, awarded a full 4-year academic scholarship to DePaul University and graduated with a master’s from Chicago School of Psychology.

My daughter saved my life, I did my best to save hers. Two years of her life were raised on public aid but determined to change both our lives I went back to school. I graduated on stage at the age of twenty with my two-year-old daughter cheering me on.

I was able to get off public aid worked my way up into the Administrative industry I worked hard, been promoted several times throughout my career where my former employer left me in charge of as Management and Operations of their 2 million dollar production business. At the age of 26, I bought my first home a 2-flat building on Chicago’s west side am still am a homeowner where I have taken the opportunity to run my Organization Humble Hearts out of on the first floor.

In 2012, Operation Humble Hearts went into effect. On June 26, 2013 we were incorporated, and a year later June 1, 2014, we were recognized by the state of Illinois as a 501c3 Organization. I never thought my life would take me to a place where I would be doing what I am doing today. As I grew, helping more and more people, it became a dream come true to serve others. Truth be told, I am being reminded of my daydreams as a child. I grew up wishing there was a Humble Hearts to come help rescue, & lift me in times of humiliation and hopelessness. I come from the same place as others - I have been through so much. You name it, I have had a taste of it. That bad taste is no longer around, and God has given me a second chance to not only better myself, but to help others do the same.

I will never forget where I came from and that is why I need to remain in “Humble Hearts.” It is a daily, personal reminder to myself to stay focused, and genuinely help those in need. Everything I do, each event, the labor put in is because its a testimony of what I needed or have lived in. No one can say the Struggle is Real until they lived in the struggle. My goal is to invest in those that I help individually so that they get all the attention needed to feel special and know that someone relates to their situation. I want to change humiliation into dignity with comforting smiles. To show that no matter where you came from, it doesn’t mean you have to remain there, it just means you must work to get to that “New Beginning” a little harder than others. Humble Hearts is a part of that beginning. I believe in chances I believe that God wants us all to help each other with a true heart. Humble Hearts is not a religious Organization but I carry God in me and do his work from my heart, this leads me to help mankind – We are a humanitarian Charity Company doing philanthropy work in God’s name. I do not get funding I fund my own events and strive on in-kind donations.

A NEW RESTORATION

After secretly battling depression for the past 25 years, along with other serious issues, I went to seek mental help. I was diagnosed with having partial Borderline Personality Disorder (an unregulated emotional disorder caused by trauma & sexual abuse) along with Complex PTSD.

Being a single parent, I was left to deal and heal alone. I would say there were times I just wished I could turn out the lights permanently or run away. With a therapist, Dialectal Behavior Therapy, education, and research, I have been able to face some inner emotional trauma that helped overcome depression, isolation, disassociation, self-worth, and courage to share this part of my new journey in Rise-Up. Where my new mission is helping women of all ages overcome emotional & mental disabilities that have taken over their lives from sexual, emotional and physical trauma as it did my own.

Resilence is my story I share it to motivate, inspire to show that we all can overcome barriers with faith, support, love, and ambition. I am living proof - I am a survivor of many ordeals I am VICTORY in my own world. The first thing I want to show is that in order to heal in order to grow you first have to take yourself off the cross, & forgive your abusers. Not everyone will want to or can understand mental illness. When there is no understanding or reasoning you are left without love, support, and safety. This is what created trauma disorders in the first place. I am on a mission to break stigmas & teach victims as well as those who need understanding so no more pain is created. Through union, growth and recovery there is hope, and Restoration..... I BELIEVE IN YOU is what I tell my participants. because I do!

First picture is me as a gang member
20 yrs old and I made it ... Graduated HS with a diploma
My daughter who was born with water on her brain graduated Depaul University with a full academic scholarship

Ariella Boyd

I was honored with a full ride Academic scholarship to DePaul University’s College of Science and Health, majoring in psychology with a concentration in human services and a minor in anthropology. I then went off to attend The Chicago School of Professional Psychology where I gained a master’s degree in forensic psychology.
I have worked and volunteered in both legal and counseling settings my education and life experiences are all purposed to help me guide those in need. I know the struggles behind emotional and mental disabilities. I know there is a reason to why a person behaves the way they do and when abused, introduced to trauma or born with it we must stop judging the behavior and see what happened to caused that outcome. Today I am equipped to give hope and help to victims of wrong doings, the homeless and those seeking to end their life.
I can use my professional skills and strategies that I have gained throughout my experience working with emotionally distressed individuals and my competence in resources for those in need of mental health assistance, especially considering the Medicaid population, which is highly underserved. I am especially interested in aiding those we service in getting their educations back on track, as many of the opportunities in today’s job market require at least a high school diploma or GED.
Through providing the resources and connections necessary for both the homeless youth and adult populations to obtain such certifications, we can better prepare them for opportunities that may arise or that they may gain the education and confidence to seek. Looking to help those in need from a holistic approach will allow me to contribute meaningful changes and growth for those we help.
I can offer unbiased opinions on how to get the emotional and mental support needed to survive in todays society. Mental health needs to be focused on as it’s a must to be able to function and have the desire to live. I am here to advocate and fight for human rights for a healthy mind, body and soul.
Watching my mom helping people as I grew up opened my eyes as an adult to know her victories plants victory in me. Feeding the homeless and hearing their stories inspires me to help my mother fight and advocate for the low income and homeless population. We are Humble Hearts and humbling we come to them as equals “It takes a village to raise a community of support and love” I want to be a part of that community!

Mission and Vision

About
Humble Hearts is a humanitarian 501c3 Organization dedicated to working with the homeless, and families in low-income disadvantage communities. Through funding and in-kind donations, we host events, provide clothing, furniture, food, household items, hygiene products, toys, books, school supplies, and misc. items to recycle them back out to people in need.

Mission
Our Mission is to help those in need so that everyone gets the respect, attention, and focus to walk away with dignity!!!
We help those in need, men, women, and Children to receive things they cannot get on their own.

Impact
We have fed over thousands of homeless people, along with providing clothing, shoes, hygiene products and resources when needed. We Host several annual events: Back to School (100-150 people), Youth Homeless Coat/Hygiene event 100-150 youth, Prom Dress Dream giveaway, 75-100 girls received a free prom dress, shoes, makeup, and accessories. The Coat Drive Giveaway is our largest turnout. There are over 500 people in attendance, we were able to accommodate 300 entries by the application. We host a Holiday Christmas Party (175-200) headcount. We Delivered and passed out 30-60 turkey and hams to families in need during the holidays.
Annually the impact of our social services serves anywhere from 1000 - 5000 individuals from low-income communities.

Company Description of Services
It takes an accident or an incident to place someone in need of help. We at Humble Hearts do our best to lift you up in spirit by offering services when needed. We help all ages, races, and genders by redistributing items to children, single moms, disabled, Homeless, seniors, Families in and out of shelters or Low-Income individuals. We do not resell anything as we do our best to inspire others to give to someone in need rather than selling. We are an equal respecting place of service complying with Federal Civil Rights Laws. We do not discriminate on one’s situation as we help all race, gender, color, age, disability, & Sex. We follow the housing first mentality and harm reduction coaching to lead you to make the choices with your judgment.

Vision: Where we’re going
We act and serve in communities to show love, uniqueness, and worth to everyone as a person — We are growing in different directions every year to change and inspire self-respect by creating events, workshops, and motivational speaking conferences. No human should feel alone, hungry or go without proper clothing when surrounded by people who can help. Our vision is to grow with as many working resources to help elevate one’s spirit by promoting self-worth, mental health, hygiene, as well as love with inspiration to want more and grow. We provide an individual with the leads to get into rehab if fighting an addiction, offer furniture to children sleeping on the floor and give attention to their needs. Our Vision is to grow day by day as we can provide and promote HOPE back into the lives of those we have help.

Rise Up: is our new vision in mentoring women and young girls by showing love, teaching self-worth, alleviate depression, and those battling a form of mental illness due to trauma as a result of sexual, physical, or emotional abuse.