Mary Alice Epperly: Making an Impact in Her Community

After Mary Alice adopted 7-year-old John,* whom she had been fostering for more than a year, he began showing mental and behavioral health issues she had not seen before. He experienced trauma early in his life and had been in and out of foster homes since he was 3 years old. When the mental health issues began to surface, Mary Alice knew she needed to find help.

Mary Alice first took John to a psychiatrist who prescribed medications, but that had limited success. At that point, the doctor suggested placing him in a residential facility. Fortunately, Jacobson House at Orchard Place was just opening at the time so he was admitted there.

Mary Alice was pleased to have John at a facility located in Des Moines so that she could easily keep in touch. She felt included in his treatment by attending weekly therapy sessions. She was grateful that Orchard Place helped not only her son, but it helped Mary Alice, too.

"It was just as important for me as it was for him," she says.

After spending 15 months at Orchard Place, he went back home to Mary Alice. His psychological and emotional health improved for a while, but he began struggling again. From that time on, he was in and out of residential facilities. Mary Alice is quick to say, "I got better outcomes out of Orchard Place than any of the other places he went."

Mary Alice's firsthand experience of adopting John and then discovering the previous issues and trauma he went through made her aware of how widespread mental health issues are for children. The experience also showed her that placing him at Orchard Place made more of a difference in his life because of the highly trained staff and the quality of care he received. This is why Mary Alice made the generous decision to name Orchard Place as a beneficiary of her retirement account.

Mary Alice explains she decided to make a planned gift to Orchard Place because "I want my money to make an impact, and I want my money to make an impact on the community that I have lived in my whole life." Mary Alice also feels gratification knowing that in the future, she will be helping children like John who desperately need quality care. Mary Alice emphasizes this about her planned giving: "It's all about me. I want to feel better. I can't change all the kids in the whole world, but I hope that it will help change someone."

Your Gift Can Change a Child’s Life

Your future gift to Orchard Place helps us provide critical behavioral and mental health services to Iowa's kids. Explore your options today. Please contact Cayla Walsh at cwalsh@orchardplace.org or 515-287-9648 with any questions.

*Name has been changed to maintain confidentiality.