Fourteen years ago, Ida S. was making her final preparations before committing suicide. She'd endured years of abuse at the hands of her violent husband—a police officer in the local precinct—and couldn't take it anymore. Thankfully, a friend convinced her not to go through with it, and Ida decided that rather than take her own life, she would reclaim it. Ida left her husband and filed for divorce.

Ida spent the next year living out of her car, sleeping in hospital waiting rooms and surviving on crackers and water. It was harrowing, but she knew she couldn't go back. She worked two jobs—as a maid and a hardware store clerk—and eventually enrolled in community college, and pursued a career in social work. Along the way, she volunteered with the Central Oregon Battering and Rape Alliance, and developed a passion for helping others.

She now works as a social worker with the Community Action Agency for Central Oregon, and helps low-income families struggling with issues such as unemployment, homelessness and abuse. "I am able to help people because of how my life was growing up with my ex-husband," she says. She helps her clients recognize their true potential and encourages them to live their dreams.

Adds Ida: "I think it's important that clients know that they have someone who believes in them."