14 February 2014

       

The day Pamela lost her pet dog was a terrible day. In fact, it was worse than she could have ever imagined. On that day, a friend offered her some Valium. As promised, it masked the sadness and made her feel good. That day was the first day of her drug addiction. 

She discovered it was easy to purchase prescription drugs online. Within months, she was taking up to ten pills each day…Xanax, Valium, Alprazolam. She simply charged them to her credit cards and they were delivered to her front door. She knew she had a problem, and even tried two different rehabilitation programs. But the stress in her life – work, school, love – kept driving her back to drugs. 

Pamela’s downward spiral continued for another year. She refinanced her house to pay the credit card bills. She eventually lost her house, and moved into an apartment…then, she lost the apartment and lived in her car…finally, she lost her car, and moved to various homeless shelters. 

Her third attempt at getting sober came from a referral at Harborview Hospital. The hospital told her The Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center (ARC) accepts clients without payment. Pamela had nothing, so she called.

Pamela enrolled that day in 2010, and completed the program in February 2011. Like all ARC clients, she lived and worked at the facility for six months, and participated in the free counseling, education, and programming. Today, she’s been sober for three years, has a job, and a stable home. Now, every day is a good day. 

   

The Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Centers Program

One of the many programs offered by The Salvation Army is the Adult Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Program. In the Northwest Division, the program operates in Seattle, in a building many people have driven past but rarely notice. This program is happening on Fourth Avenue South in SODO, in and around The Salvation Army Thrift Store. 

The Thrift store directly funds The Salvation Army Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation program. Every item donated – and every item sold – directly funds this rehab program. It’s a $5 million operation, and it is saving the lives of hundreds of men and women every day. 

Last year, more than 1,200 men and women participated in the program. They come to the program from every walk of life, every age, every level of education, some trying to get sober for the first time, some having tried many other programs. At The Salvation Army, they have one thing in common – they are addicted to drugs and/or alcohol and they want to get clean. 

The Adult Rehabilitation Program is a serious multi-faceted program. And the clients who come to us must also be serious about changing their lives. 

They can join the program for free – it’s a no-cost, six month, live-in, program that includes physical, emotional, spiritual and professional rehabilitation. But if they’re not serious, they can’t stay. It’s tough love and it works. 

For six months, almost every minute of every day, they are immersed in a program that will turn their lives around. These clients are receiving physical and psychological counseling, spiritual mentoring, and professional guidance. 

You may not realize it, but when you make a donation to the thrift store, the items are processed in large, complex warehouse. Items are sorted, repaired, priced, and sold by men and women in the Rehab program. 

They work side by side, some sober for months, others sober for only a few days. For some, this is the first job they’ve had in their life. For others, they’ve come from top management in high rise offices, now sorting used clothing. They all share a common goal – living a life without drugs and alcohol. They now have a significant responsibility to themselves and to society.

The next time you donate an item to a Salvation Army thrift store, or purchase something at the store, know that you are helping to change – and save – lives.