You’ve shopped the Path of Grace thrift stores in Miramar Beach and Destin, but did you know they support the nonprofit’s mission of helping women overcome addictions through empowerment, faith, and counseling? A crucial part of restoring dreams for a successful future lies first in faith, but also in developing self-confidence and purpose. Work in the thrift stores provides opportunities for women in the program to gain pride that comes from committing to a job with responsibilities.
Path of Grace’s program is unlike any other, including a vocational component and their internal leadership growth model. To build teams, Path of Grace looks for leadership from within. Under the guidance of the Managing and Assistant Directors (also graduates of the program), newer residents are selected and trained by their predecessors for management positions, ensuring the perpetual growth of the leadership model.
“Before coming to Path of Grace, I was using drugs every day. I wasn’t really there for my children and I felt worthless. Thankfully, today my life is a complete 180. After 16 months of sobriety in the program I now have a strong connection with God, found healing and restoration, and am the mother, daughter, and all-around person I always wanted to be. I find great joy and purpose in my position as the Assistant Director at Path of Grace, in the thrift stores and the program – helping other women struggling with the same issues I once had.” –Tiffany, Path of Grace graduate and Assistant Director
Empowerment through work is extremely positive for women in the program, helping them build self-esteem, hope, a strong work ethic, management and teamwork skills, and the tools necessary to live successful lives. Revenue generated from the two thrift stores through the sale of donated furniture and home goods helps offset program costs for women from all financial backgrounds.
Path of Grace is entirely unique with a successful program that is faith-based, provides affordable 9-24 months in recovery at only a one-time fee of $800, on-site counseling with a licensed therapist, teaches through the 12-step program, provides vocational life-skills training in the protected drug-free thrift store environments, and a work stipend/savings plan that creates a ‘nest egg’ for each resident when they graduate.
To date, over 80 women have graduated the program; operating two thrift stores, three recovery homes, one transitional home, 26 residents and three children.
“Our program is at full capacity with 26 residents and a continual waiting list. We receive three to five calls a day from women who have lost hope and are searching for help. Today we’re forced to turn them away.” – Eddie Mansfield, Managing Director
With a need for more recovery homes to liberate more women’s lives from addiction, Path of Grace has kicked off their ‘Rebuilding Lives’ capital campaign to build two more recovery homes. The new homes will provide a combined 5,000 square feet and are being constructed on existing property located in Santa Rosa Beach. Completion of construction is expected by October 30, 2017.
In addition to increasing capacity of 26 residents to 34, one of the homes will feature a large kitchen, exercise room, cafeteria and meeting room. With more space to hold bible studies, group therapy sessions, ministry meetings and graduation celebrations, the nonprofit won’t have to struggle anymore to find large meeting spaces or be forced to fit into too small of spaces.
Path of Grace is seeking donations to cover construction costs, repairs needed on the current homes, and a 10-passenger van to help handle the additional capacity. In addition to financial donations, in-kind gifts for construction and building are also welcomed. Donations can be made at a variety of acknowledgement levels online at www.pathofgrace.net or by contacting the Managing Director Eddie Mansfield at (850) 974-4573.
Author: SWal Life
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