Holden Hall provides the guidance and support many of our men need. Although we hope that they reach total independence and self sufficiency, we realize the reality is that everyone needs an ongoing support system. Holden Hall has become that system for many.
After two “successful” years at Holden Hall, Dre’, a 38-year-old man with multiple physical handicaps and an addiction history chose to leave our program to experience a totally independent lifestyle. He returned to Holden Hall almost two years later after experiencing drug relapse, homelessness, and serious illness.
Here is what he has to say…
“Happiness is when I put my key in my own door, lay my head down and have some peace of mind.” – Dre’
If it wasn’t for Holden Hall I believe I might have given up by now. I would be struggling from day to day, living shack to shack, bench to bench or gutter to gutter. Or I would be dead. At Holden Hall I always have somebody to talk to, to learn from; the staff, my housemates, the volunteers and my friends. I got a better understanding of life. My greatest fear used to be that I wouldn’t live to see another day. Now my only fear is losing my surrogate parents and the staff of Holden Hall.
At Holden Hall I am always growing, I’m always working on me. I’m a stronger person now, a better person than I used to be. This year I celebrated 5 years drug free. Now I go to NA meetings and I try to encourage newcomers to keep coming back. I try to give other people hope.
At Holden Hall, we all have to give back to the community. I spent some time volunteering at a rehabilitation/nursing center. People had worse problems than I do. It makes you see how blessed you are. I spent time talking to people that maybe nobody else wanted to talk to because they looked so bad. I fed some people that needed help eating, stuff like that. I couldn’t do some things because of my own problems but I realized I can do a lot to help if I try and I didn’t need a lot of money to help either.
This year I have had three reconstructive surgeries on my face – you don’t know what a blessing that is but I do.
What I tell people about Holden Hall is this – Holden Hall is a place to come to when you are ready to get your life together. You will find the freedom to be more than you are, independence to be a man and support and structure to make it all work and keep working.