​I am the son who died from an accidental overdose.
It breaks my heart, but I will say it.
I was an addict.
I was, and am, also a valuable human being.
Do not turn away from me.

I forgive myself for being honest, for trusting too much, for forgiving again and again, for being me in a false world where values are upside down, for defending others, for trying to find some kind of justice, for trying to protect to relatives who were lost a long time ago, for trying to find some kind of coherence in our lives, for trying to find the good in others, they no longer existed, for trying to help someone who did not even see what is wrong because was lost long time ago, to try to be a family member who cares when they never see me or love me as a family, to be blind all these years and never see that...

​Many people find success with traditional treatments for addiction, but the drawback of traditional methods of recovery is that they sometimes leave gaps in care. Using alternative treatments for recovery, like mindfulness, stress management, and exercise, can help fill those gaps. For some people, that means using these in place of more traditional treatments, while others find that they’re a great complement to what they’re already doing. 

Almost 28 million people around the world are battling a substance use disorder. It can affect anyone including a child, a parent, and even a spouse. Recognizing the signs of a drug or alcohol addiction can be vital to saving a loved one’s life. 

Animal-assisted therapy isn't designed to be a stand-alone therapy. When combined with other treatments for substance use disorders, the therapeutic approach can motivate patients to stay in treatment. Animals can also help therapists and clients resolve mental health problems in a way that isn't possible with other types of therapy alone. - Jaime Acevedo, Outreach Specialist

For more information on animal-assisted therapy, visit DrugRehab.com

Envisioning a healing and recovery community, Hope Connection aims to open a long-term housing facility that offers safe living arrangements for survivors of domestic violence and ongoing substance abuse recovery.  With property values skyrocketing, finding affordable housing in the Triangle area is more difficult than ever.  With abuse and addiction victims most vulnerable to homelessness, the Triangle area needs supportive, long-term housing more than ever!

In early 2016, Debra Barkett proceeded to launch a social enterprise that financially aids Hope Connection in the future.  Then, she stumbled across a commercial ​storage facility down the sidewalk from the Community Care Center at the South Hills Mall on Buck Jones Road.  ​In the beginning, we rented the space to store in-kind donations at the facility.  

My name is “Jessica”.  I’m 24 years old.  I’ve been a victim of domestic violence.  I’ve been a victim of sexual assault. I was molested as a kid and was in state foster care.  As a newborn baby, my mom was a drug addict and a prostitute.  She and the guy that would have been my father had a drug deal and he got shot.  Before that, she left me on the side of the road.  She didn’t want me so I’ve been in the foster care system since I was a newborn until age 21 because in North Carolina you can stay in foster care until age 21.

Join Diana and Katherine on YouTube as they debut original, contemporary arrangements of classic Christmas songs. Hear stories of how Hope Connection International empowers survivors of abuse and addiction in a free live-stream concert to share with your friends.
Read more about our friends below.

Join us on Tonight, 12-21-2017 at 7:30 PM
Live Chat begins at 7:15PM
Or feel free to join us at our Community Care Center at 7:00PM for a Watch Party!

ABOUT THE MUSICIANS
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​Katherine has taught piano and violin for ten years. She plays piano and violin for various school and church music programs in the Raleigh area. She also enjoys composing and arranging with friends.


Diana began playing piano when she was five and also enjoys playing drums and trombone. She plays with her school band and brass ensemble and has played keyboards with her church worship team since she was fourteen. She loves composing and arranging music using LogicPro for the various groups to which she belongs.


Diana and Katherine met through a school music program and have been playing together for over a year. They recently released an instrumental worship extended play record entitled "For One".

​The match begins at 8AM EST (5AM PST) and will run until it is out.
 
Up to $1,000 per fundraiser or donate button can be matched.
 
Up to $50,000 per nonprofit button can be matched.

The following guest-post was written by Christine, who lost her brother due to an overdose last year.  It is an open glimpse into her mind and feelings.  Thank you for allowing us to share this, Christine. 
As the year-mark of my beloved brother Andrew’s passing approaches, I wanted to write about some forth-comings and thoughts I've been dealing with this past year and am wanting to express. I want to write this for my own therapeutic sake but most importantly to raise awareness of this current drug-overdose epidemic in the US. Please no judgment as I am doing this in hope that my family’s troubling experience can be used to help others in a positive way. I will first start off with a little background.