The greatest effect the Foundation is having is on the lives of the individual clients served. Some of the many powerful examples of this are described below, including one client who has given permission to provide his name and tell his story:
A Step Up client who initially stumbled in addiction recovery will be clean 1 year in October 2017; this individual is currently volunteering daily at a non-profit youth organization and is also successfully working a part time job.
A Step Up Member has taken on the leadership of communicating with the city to make sure all of the alleys and abandoned homes in-and-around the area of Greenmount and 25th Street are kept clean and free of trash.
Three Step Up members are training to become Peer Recovery Specialists. This program certification requires participation in the Recovery Coach Academy, a 40-hour, 5-Saturday training program that begins in October 2017.
Gary Wilson, working with Ron Shelley in the Step Up Program, established his own small business, GW Landscaping Services, LLC. Gary’s journey to starting his own business was featured in an in-depth profile on ABC news. Gary works part time in his own business, and also maintains a separate part-time job.
Another client has enrolled at Baltimore City Community College and is working toward an AA degree in Addiction Counseling.
THE FACE OF A SUCCESSFUL RECOVERY
Harry is like any recovering addict: Looking for a chance to reset and start a healthy life. Recovery, however, doesn’t end with sobriety. It continues with the search for housing and a job, and the desire to be a productive member of society.
This journey can be rough shouldn’t be made alone, yet it can be really hard to seek out assistance along the way. Harry found the courage to ask for help getting sober, but he still needs help to plant his roots and become a positive influence on his community.
Harry now has his own apartment and works full time for the University of Maryland Hospital as a Unit-Secretary in Shock Trauma.