The Downtown Women’s Center (DWC) celebrated its 36th anniversary, along with hundreds of supporters and survivors, at the North Exhibit Hall at the Amarillo Civic Center on Tuesday, May 6. The luncheon’s opening ceremonies began with a blessing by Dr. Chad Johnson, senior pastor of Amarillo United Methodist Church, and the National Anthem, sung by Ashlee Posey.
Cathy Ice, DWC board president, spoke to the crowd about the progress that has been made through 36 years and the many lives that have been saved. Soloist Devion Jones sang “Fear is a Liar,” followed by a showing of a moving video produced by Diann Gilmore, DWC executive director; Mark Rossy, DWC accountant, Cathleen Tyson-Day, Zip Print Marketing, Jeff Justus, voiceover talent and Joe Luscombe, New Day Productions.
One of the events celebrated was the purchase of the home next to the current shelter, Haven House, in December 2023. The shelter is home to women new in recovery from alcohol and other additions. The fourth shelter, Haven House Too, is now fully renovated, furnished and decorated in all four bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living area and a kitchen. The shelter is unique in that it is being utilized by homeless women new in recovery who have small children with them and also for women who come to the program pregnant and deliver while living there. The first two residents of the Haven House Too recently gave birth to two beautiful babies, according to information sent by DWC.
The spring luncheon is DWC’s only fundraising event of the year, and funds let the group continue to help women recover and live clean, sober and productive lives. According to Gilmore, the cost for each woman is $11,6445 per year, which she said was a bargain for what they received — a 92% success rate with women who stay two years and are clean and sober one year later. Other sources of income for the program are the organization’s two stores, the combined Thrift City and Uptown Shoppe at 812 SW 10th, at the northeast corner of 10th and Adams; and Thrift City Too at 525 SW 10th, at the southeast corner of 10th and Monroe. A coupon was given to those attending the luncheon for 25% off products sold at the shops.
The DWC devotional book, “Everyone is Redeemable,” was also on sale for $10 at the event to help the center with costs.
“Unfortunately, addiction can cause a person to lose everything. They can lose their home, job, health and children,” according to Gilmore. “Addiction can keep them there. For some, being hooked on drugs is what caused them to be homeless; for others, drugs became a way of coping with different mental struggles, like depression.”
The shadow of addiction is always there with a person recovering, but it can be overcome with help from such sources such as AA, NA and Celebrate Recovery. Caregivers can also help in the struggle; sometimes “tough love” is the only thing that works because the alternative is allowing them to be invisible.
“Pain is the great motivator,” said Judge Titiana Frausto, 181st District County Court, who sees the wreckage of addiction on a regular basis. “The motivation to change can come from great loss, whether it be loss of family, job, home or self-esteem,” she said.
The video played for the crowd featured former addicts and explained how most came from trauma and suffered from a form of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which can affect the way you live and change the way your brain develops. It can lead to addiction and a problem with how the mind and body fails to connect.
Powerful testimonies came from former addicts who began to find freedom and success in recovery.
Crystal, who never believed she could live a normal life, told how she received a scholarship and got back on her feet. She said when she first attended meetings, she wondered how the women could be so happy and thought it was a cult. “But I got a good job and got my teeth back,” she said with a big smile.
Her son Josh said, “I always thought I would just be homeless. But when I saw my mother get better and get it together, I realized I could, too.” He added, “I want to tell my mom I’m proud of her.”
Gilmore also went into the growing issue of homelessness. “It is a product of trauma and addiction,” she said.
She added, “We are glad to welcome members to the Happy Women’s Cult,” referring to Crystal’s comment on her first encounter with a recovery group.
One of the most moving stories came from a woman who was homeless and walking Amarillo Boulevard, and she was about to go with a man to get money she needed for a room for the night. She said she heard what she believed to be God saying, “You’re going the wrong way. Turnaround.” the woman turned around and has stayed on the right road to recovery.
Gilmore professed that she had met some women that she thought wouldn’t make it. One was Tesla, who was in the video and is now two years, five months and 13 days sober. She said she had to tell Tesla to “see a counselor and change your ways or part ways.”
“To see a woman who has lost everything and come back is absolutely marvelous,” the DWC video shared with the crowd, then referencing a Bible verse, “What you do for the least of us is what you do for Him.”
This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Downtown Women’s Center celebrates 36 years of helping others recover from addiction
Reporting by Nell Williams, Amarillo Globe-News / Amarillo Globe-News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
