Meet Mark.

He grew up in a family that struggled with alcoholism and had to endure his parent’s messy divorce. His substance use began with marijuana and alcohol. It’s at the of age of 17 that he started using harder drugs like acid, cocaine, and ecstasy. Eventually, he was getting in trouble with the law and spent years of his life in and out of jail.

What’s different about Mark’s story is that he tried to get help…many times. He attended around 8 treatment programs but couldn’t seem to stay sober, until his involvement with drug trafficking and drug possession became so dangerous that he almost died in a gunfight.

That’s when he put himself on a detox program waitlist and called Harvest House Atlantic.

Since Mark’s situation was urgent, we were able to get him into the program quickly. He then spent 9 months in our Men’s Addiction Recovery Program. He graduated from the program on May 17th and has been sober for over 10 months!

“The difference is that this place didn’t feel like an institution. I was welcomed like family. I learned communication skills, stress management, and most importantly, I learned how to love people through their faults. I had no grace before coming here…if you don’t have grace and love, you’re toast eventually!”

Mark is now working in our Ground Zero Shelter. He is part of the 49% of employees at Harvest House Atlantic who have lived experiences with homelessness, addiction, incarceration, or food insecurity. Everyone’s journey looks different, but each is entitled to a fresh start and a second chance!

**The following story represents the personal experiences and views of the participant. It does not necessarily reflect the opinions or positions of Harvest House Atlantic or any individuals mentioned. Shared with permission.