You Fight It ‘One Day at a Time’

“I think that the Shalom Center is a wonderful place… If it wasn’t for this place not only would I be lost, but many others would be, too.”

Joyce spent much of her younger days in trouble. Addicted to cocaine, she was in and out of jail.

But two years ago and just released from jail, Joyce wanted to turn her life around.  However, she had trouble finding gainful employment because of her criminal record. Her troubled past also prevented her from accessing aid like food stamps. Soon, Berry and her young daughter were homelessness and almost completely out of hope.

Though it would have been easy for her to slip back into using drugs, Joyce instead searched for help to overcome her problems. She found that support at Shalom…

Assisted by the staff at Shalom, she began the day-by-day struggle of sobriety. The center served as a safe place for her to stay during the day , a key to her for staying out of trouble.

Joyce admits, “…if the Shalom Center wasn’t here, I would probably be in trouble somewhere, hanging out where I don’t need to be… It’s safe.  No one’s in here drinking.  No one’s in here doing drugs.  No one’s doing anything that they’re not supposed to be doing something in here.  And that’s the good thing.  You’re safe when you’re inside the Shalom Center.”

Joyce has remained clean since she has began seeking help from Shalom. She feels empowered through her relationships and surroundings at Shalom to continue overcoming her past addictions.

“It would be so easy for me to fall back into my old ways but people look up to me now and respect me and I don’t want to lose that.  I’m staying clean and doing it one day at a time,” Joyce declares.

Now, she volunteers at Shalom and supports many people struggling with addictions and homelessness.  She will soon be starting a job as a peer specialist, helping others in situations similar to hers.

Joyce expresses extreme gratitude for all who make Shalom a welcoming environment. “I feel special when I come in here.  You feel like people care and that’s the bottom line.  No one wants to go somewhere where they feel like they’re unwanted.  When I come into the Shalom Center, I feel wanted.”