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Santa Barbara Rescue Mission Puts Graduates on Path of Recovery
On Saturday, the Santa Barbara Rescue Mission celebrated the graduation of nine men and women from the mission’s 12-month residential drug and alcohol treatment program.
The ceremony was held at Montecito Covenant Church, with more than 250 people in attendance.
The recovery program is certified by the state of California to enroll 79 residents with an average of 37 graduates per year. Some estimate the national success rate for recovery programs to be 10 percent, the mission counts 57 percent of their alumni still in recovery one year after graduation.
Stan C., of the graduating class, shared his story of recovery.
“Prior to coming to the Rescue Mission, my lifestyle was an unbalanced death sentence. Willing to pay the cost for my actions, I wasn’t sent to prison again, but I was given the opportunity to go to the Rescue Mission and change my life,” Stan said. “Over the past year, miracles have been a big part of my daily life, and on Sept. 30, I was granted sole custody of my three oldest children. A year ago, I was not allowed to see my kids. People like me don’t stay clean and sober for over a year. People like me don’t get custody of their kids. People like me don’t check in with parole or probation. People like me die in their alcoholism, die in their addiction, die in prison. I was welcomed at the Rescue Mission when I wasn’t welcome anywhere. One last great idea to try and get sober, and here I am today.”
The mission continues to maintain a 96 percent employment rate among their graduates.
“Labeled ‘failures’ by almost everyone they know, the men and women who come to the mission learned to think of themselves that way,” said Rolf Geyling, president of the Rescue Mission. “That’s the before picture — before entering, committing to, working through and now graduating from the demanding year-long recovery program. The after picture is nothing short of amazing.”
The graduating class was honored with diplomas, certificates of recognition from Assemblyman Pedro Nava, and Bibles from Montecito Covenant Church.
— Rebecca Wilson is the director of communications and constituent relations for the Santa Barbara Rescue Mission.
» wrote on 11.22.09 @ 07:48 AM
Is the reason for the high success rate - it is Christ centered recovery and Christ is real. Congratulations to all.
» wrote on 11.24.09 @ 06:57 PM
There is nothing better than a strick spiritual centered program to sober one up! God Bless You fellas, Roger
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