Tag Archives: drug rehab

Our Residents Pitch in to Help Down on the Farm

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The other week some of our men’s staff and residents spent the day working at our farm located just outside of Hagerstown. The farm has had many uses over the years but has set silent recently.

But this spring we started to bring the farm back to life with the arrival of cows, chickens, turkeys, and pigs. Now we’re focused on getting the rest of the barn and farmyard back into good shape for future use and growth. In addition to reviving the barn area, we’re also starting to clean up and make much needed improvements to our lodge facility that sits adjacent to the barn.

Our men’s staff and residents have started the big job of cleaning and mending to get the different facilities back in shape. From cleaning out the barn that had accumulated years of junk, to fixing bathrooms, polishing floors, and deep cleaning the kitchen in the lodge, these guys worked hard to start the improvement process. And they did a spectacular job!

The men in our 13-month residential program, Foundations Life Recovery, are assigned various jobs at The Hope Center as a part of their recovery program. But working at the farm is not normally one of the jobs they do. But the guys enjoyed the change of scenery and new activities and had a great time working together as a team. It wasn’t all hard work, though. Dillan Izer, son of two of our staff members, Aimee and Terry, volunteered some time to grill up a delicious lunch for the guys.

We’ve still got a lot of work to do at the farm and we’ve got many exciting dreams and visions for the property. But it’s just so nice to see it coming back to life and watching these men work so hard to help revive it and be a part of the future of this ministry. Please continue to pray for the men who are in our Foundations Life Recovery program. They’re great guys who are fighting a tough battle. God has great things in store for them so please pray for their endurance during this time of recovery.If you’d like to talk to someone about our Foundations Life Recovery program please call 301.739.1165 or email foundations@hagerstownhopecenter.com.

To learn more about all of our programs and services or how you can get involved and partner with us please visit hagerstownhopecenter.com.

Happy Birthday, Kevin!!

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Join us in wishing Kevin a happy birthday!

The first Friday of each month is birthday celebration day at The Hope Center. In May, we were able to celebrate Kevin. And our good friend, Stormy, baked another delicious cake for the party!

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Kevin arrived at The Hope Center at the beginning of August, 2012.  He came to Hagerstown after previously being at the Central Union Mission in Washington, D.C.

Kevin says, “I was spiritually bankrupt and severely lost my way in all directions in my walk with God.  I stopped everything: no Bible study, no church, no prayer.  I stopped my involvement with prison ministry.  No communion with God at all.”

Kevin joined our Foundations program and promised God that he would finish the program and would let God have control of his life.

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The Foundations program at The Hope Center is a 13-month life recovery program where the residents learn to break the destructive addictions and habits that Satan was using to destroy their lives. While in the Foundations program, the guys faithfully study the Word of God and grow closer to Him in their recovery. They are able to get their lives back on track spiritually, physically and emotionally and are able to mend many broken relationships from their dark past.

Kevin is excited about the future and plans on graduating in early Fall of 2013.

Kevin says, “God has revitalized my spirit and renewed my spiritual drive to do His work, whatever He has for me.”

In addition to the classes that he’s a part of in the Foundation program, Kevin is a cook’s assistant in Food Services and also works in the check-in office in The Hope Center.

Please remember to pray for Kevin and all of the other guys who are trying to get their lives back on track and live the life that God designed them to live. It’s not an easy road to recovery but with the prayers of faithful supporters like you, guys like Kevin have a chance to become both spiritually and physically reborn!

We want to thank you for supporting this ministry of rescue at The Hope Center. From prayer support, to financial support, to volunteer support and in-kind donations (food, gently used clothing, shoes, furniture, etc), you are truly helping to change lives for God and bring hope to so many who are lost and alone. Thank you for caring & sharing with those in need!

If you’d like to volunteer or give to The Hope Center, please call 301.739.1165, email hagerstownrescue@verizon.net or give online at www.hagerstownrescue.org.

We’re Always Open to Help People in Need

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Since 1955, The Hope Center at Hagerstown Rescue Mission as been helping people in need in multiple ways.

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Some people think that we are just an alcohol & drug rehabilitation facility. Others think that we just give food to the hungry. There are some who think we just provide housing to the homeless.

All of those assumptions are correct! We are a multi-faceted facility that is geared to providing free assistance to many different people in many different situations.

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From providing overnight shelter to homeless men, to supplying hungry families with bags of groceries, to helping desperate men overcome their addictions, to providing free lunches and dinners to hungry neighbors, to hosting free summer day camps for at-risk kids, The Hope Center at Hagerstown Rescue Mission works hard everyday, all year long to meet the needs of those who need help.

And we provide all of these services free of charge and without any tax-payer funding. You read that right. We do not take any tax money from the government. All of our support is provided by faithful friends and supporters in the community. From churches, to individuals, to social clubs and local businesses, our facility is all about neighbors helping neighbors.

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Camp Wild is a free day camp for four weeks of the summer for at-risk kids in Hagerstown and surrounding communities. Your gift helps to keep this camp free for hundreds of kids in the Hub City.

When you purchase anything from one of our Thrift Stores* in Hagerstown or Chambersburg, you’ve helped to provide a much needed service to someone in need. The funds generated from sales in our stores help to keep our facility free for anyone, day or night, all year long.

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Since 1955, we’ve been here. Providing shelter to the homeless. Providing food to the hungry. Providing help to the addicted. Providing hope to the desperate.

As we are currently experiencing extremely cold temperatures, please know that our doors are always open to provide a hot meal, a warm shower and a comfortable bed to someone in need.

And with your continued support we are able to do this work tomorrow, and the next day and the next. Thank you for shopping at our Thrift Stores. Thank you for donating your gently used clothing, furniture & household items. Thank you for volunteering your time. Thank you for your financial support. And thank you for your prayers.

For more info about how you can help support the many programs at The Hope Center, how you can get involved as a volunteer, or how you can donate food items or gently used items, please call 301.739.1165, email hagerstownrescue@verizon.net or go to www.hagerstownrescue.org.

*We have two Thrift Stores for your shopping convenience. Our Hagerstown store is located on the corner of Church & Walnut streets and is open from 9am-5pm, Monday thru Saturday. Our Chambersburg store is located at 64 S. Main Street and is open from 8:30am-4:15pm, Monday thru Saturday.

The Smiling Faces of Hope

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As we approach the end of the year, we want to take a look back at the many people who have been a part of The Hope Center. We value each guest, volunteer, staff person, Auxiliary lady & Board member. Keep checking back as we continue to post pictures of all of our friends & visitors at The Hope Center. Please continue to pray for this ministry as we bring the hope of Christ to Hagerstown!

Congrats, Graduates!

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On Friday, October 26th, four wonderful men graduated from our Foundations program.

The Foundations program, a 13-month residential life recovery ministry, is designed for men who have expressed a desire to change their lives both physically and spiritually. Intended to break the cycle of homelessness and addiction, this ministry encourages individual accountability and responsibility using Biblically-based class curriculum, work assignment and counseling. The desired goal for each man is to successfully complete the program and become a contributing member of society.

Once residents have completed a program, we have a graduation in their honor. In addition to our staff, Board members and community friends, our graduates invite their family & friends to the ceremony. The graduation ceremony is a great way to congratulate the men on all their hard work, but more importantly it’s a great way to show how God is still in the business of changing lives!

As a part of their exit from the program, we asked each of the men to share a brief testimony. Take a moment to read about each of these men and remember to keep them, and all the other men who enter our program, in your prayers.

Frank Bercaw

In October 2010 my world was falling apart.  I came to The Hope Center as a functioning alcoholic who was spiraling out of control.  I stayed as a transient and managed to work some.  My alcohol problem became more than I could manage.  Through The Hope Center, and the blessing that God has placed on the staff and many others here, I’ve won the victory over alcohol.  I’ve found the Lord Jesus Christ as my Savior and my life now has a future and a hope!  Glory be to God!

Howard Hawkins

Following the death of my mother, who had resided in Clear Spring, Maryland, my plan was to go to the family home.  When I arrived there I found out the house was on lock-down and my brother was in Florida, so I needed a place to stay.  On August 16, 2011 I came to The Hope Center and the rest is history!  God began to show me who I truly am in Him which resulted in a life of renewal and being transformed!  I am now able to be used of God in spite of myself.

Kevin Scott

In June 2011 I came to The Hope Center from the devil’s lies, bound by misery, blindness and death.  In pain I cried out to God.  At the time I did not know how sincere my cry from the heart was to God.  God led me to The Hope Center where He told me to be quiet and open my mind and heart to Him.  So I did.  The Hope Center, being in God’s Word, was in a position to help a total stranger.  With a lost soul, a broken spirit and a highly unpredictable personality, I learned how to have the best relationship of a lifetime!  That relationship is with God, the Father, His Son, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.  Thank you God!  Your Word is here!

William Neal

August of 2011 found me in Martinsburg, West Virginia without housing, employment, or much hope of such.  God sent someone to lead me to The Hope Center at Hagerstown Rescue Mission.  Here I have received much knowledge and information on who God is and what He has always intended for my life.  Now I understand that attempting to live without His direction is folly.  He wants only the best for me!   Through His Son, Jesus, I can and will have eternal life, peace and joy in Heaven!

While every story seems different, they are all the same. Every one of the people who comes to The Hope Center is in need of the same thing, hope. And while we all know that the world promises many different solutions to the problem, at The Hope Center we offer the only real solution: Jesus. And thanks to you and our many other donors & volunteers, God is changing lives and restoring hope in the lives of so many precious people. Thank you for helping to change lives!

Congrats graduates! You’ve worked hard and now you have a fresh start at a brand new life!

Happy Birthday!

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The first Friday of each month is the day that we celebrate the birthdays of residents in our Foundations program.

On October 5th we celebrated 3 of our resident’s birthdays. Howard, Kevin & Mark are all celebrating their birthdays this month, but unfortunately Mark was unable to join the party due to a prior appointment.

But October is not just a month of birthday celebrations for Howard & Kevin. They both will be graduating from the men’s program on October 26th! What a fantastic way to celebrate the life that God gave them! They’ve both worked so hard to achieve this honor.

Everyone enjoyed another delicious cake that was baked by our good friend, Stormy. During the birthday celebration, Howard and Kevin gave their testimony to the staff and other residents in attendance. They both gave moving testimonies about how God has changed their lives since coming to The Hope Center. Kevin even said that he is proof that “this program works.”

Please join us in wishing these 3 gentlemen a very happy birthday! And continue to pray for them and all the other guys who seek refuge and change at The Hope Center. It’s not an easy thing to do, but God is clearly at work in the lives of these men in our program!