“I was meant to be here.”

“I was meant to be here.” 2

“Before coming to HUM, I was lost and broken,” Christopher says. His mother had recently passed away following a stroke, and for the first time in his life, he was all alone. To deal with his grief, Christopher returned to an old habit he thought he’d conquered long ago: drugs. “I got really depressed and started using again,” he says. “I was in mourning … And all I could see was darkness.”

As Christopher sank deeper into addiction, life around him began to crumble. Before long, he lost his job of 11 years with a printing company, his car and his home. “Life just kept getting worse … until I came to Helping Up Mission,” he says.

Christopher was welcomed into our Spiritual Recovery Program with compassion – and without judgment. He felt welcomed and was immediately struck by the breadth of our services and programs. 

“I’m so thankful for HUM and everything they provide. They have the ability and resources to help you achieve your goals.”

An unexpected blessing for Christopher was an opportunity to attend a two-day retreat at Camp Wabanna. HUM hosts a number of these retreats throughout the year to give the men and women in our program a break from city life — a chance to experience the outdoors and to deepen their connection with God.

“Camp Wabanna is amazing,” Christopher says. “It’s very peaceful and serene, and is a great setting to learn and grow. It’s one of my favorite places now. I love it!”

Having recently graduated from our Spiritual Recovery Program, Christopher is now doing an internship in HUM’s program office. He also facilitates an art therapy class, and helps run the choir too.

“I was meant to be here,” Christopher says. “Now I’m renewed. I feel completely reborn.”

Please help other people like Christopher…

Through our Spiritual Recovery Program, people struggling with homelessness and addiction are being transformed from the inside out and are discovering new life filled with hope. And it’s all made possible by caring friends like you.