trans•form
v. trænsˈfɔrm; n. ˈtræns fɔrmShow Spelled [v. trans-fawrm; n. trans-fawrm] verb (used with object)
1. to change in form, appearance, or structure; metamorphose.
2. to change in condition, nature, or character; convert

Randi, age 34, has been working to transform everything in her life since her clean date of December 22, 2010. Everything in her story – before and after recovery – is a depiction of determination and stunning contrasts.

Family

Before: Randi spent her early years growing up in an abusive home where drug use was the norm. She left at age 13 and was homeless for 6 years, into drugs and the crimes that go along with them. She re-connected to her dad and step-mom at age 19. Even she could see that they wanted to be there for her but it was such a foreign feeling that she flitted in and out of their lives, never sure how to handle their genuine concern. In prison in 2004, she realized she was pregnant. Getting out of prison as a single mom was not easy. She went to Central City Concern’s residential treatment facility for pregnant/parenting moms in 2008 and did ok for a good while. Her son was a motivation – she wanted to be a good mom. She stayed clean for five years, held a job, got her own place and her son back from DHS. In 2010 though, she relapsed and rapidly lost everything. She was ready for a true change.

After: Randi surprised her dad and step mom by asking them if they could take her son for a while so that she could check into treatment. It was an expression of trust that gave her parents hope. Maybe things would be better this time. Today, she drops in frequently. She has a close and strong relationship with her 9-year-old son. He gets to play with his cousins regularly. She joins in the monthly girl time her step mom gently urges with all her daughters. Last year, Randi invited everyone over for Thanksgiving dinner.

in photo from left: Randi's dad Lewis, Randi, her mom Lori and son Cole in center.

Housing

Before: After prison, Randi slept on a lot of couches and in a lot of motels. It didn’t help her potential for lasting recovery. She didn’t have true friends and she never stayed long anywhere. She would breeze through her parents’ house sometimes and eat a little. Then, be gone again.

After: Today, Randi lives in Central City Concern’s family housing that is a supportive environment for families in recovery. She has many peers who she relies on as well as a parent mentor who coaches her through the rough spots with grace and humor. Her son has seized many rich opportunities there, like basketball camp with the Blazers, and Easter egg hunts on the central lawn. He relishes having his own room, chores, responsibilities, pride and most importantly, security that his mom will be there in the morning. Every morning.

Self-Sufficiency

Before: Dealing drugs paid for a place to sleep on most nights and after Randi first got clean, she worked for a while at a fast-food restaurant. Her high school years were fractured so she got her GED in prison. She didn’t have a vision for what she might do in the work world.

After: Randi is on the dean’s list at the local community college. Soon, she’ll transfer to a four-year college and she aims for a BA in criminal justice. A self-sufficiency program manager at Central City Concern helped her get a driver’s license again and connected her to meaningful employment. For the past seven months, she has worked full-time for a county reentry program specifically for women. She has a caseload of about 26 women. Her work is a daily reminder of how far she has come. She is really good at what she does. Parole officers now seek out her advice. She is strong and confident and does everything in her power to bring the same to others. She is changed.

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The National Healthcare for the Homeless conference honors Nic Granum on Thursday, March 14th with the Local Hero Award!

From August 2008 through November 2012, Nic Granum has been Program Manager of Central City Concern’s Recuperative Care Program. This program provides housing, meals, intensive case management and follow-up primary health care to homeless individuals who have recently been hospitalized. The program also works for positive outcomes when patients leave the program – connection to ongoing care and safe housing are primary goals.

From November 2012 to present, Nic has worked as Project Director for the Interdisciplinary Community Care Team, (ICCT). ICCT is a new, inter-program team that will focus on improving cost and quality of care measures for some of CCC’s most vulnerable and high risk individuals. Nic and three health workers will work to reach 135 patients/year to stabilize their health, housing and overall well-being. The ultimate goal of the program is to “bend the costs of Medicare down” and ultimately save $35 million over a three-year period. Project is funded by a large community collaborative, supported by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, and plays a pivotal role in our emerging coordinated care organization in the tri-county area.

Click here to read the full nomination.

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When Central City Concern gave me housing, healthcare, and addiction treatment services, they didn’t change the world. But for my daughter and me, the whole world changed.

In December 2006 I was pregnant, homeless, and addicted to drugs and alcohol. I wasn’t feeling very merry or bright about the approaching holidays.

The gift I wanted more than anything? Change. And I wanted it desperately.

A friend told me about the Letty Owings Center, a program run by Central City Concern that provides housing and healthcare for pregnant women who are homeless and struggling with addiction. I got in, and by March 2007, I was clean and sober. For the first time in a long time, I was living in a safe, stable, supportive environment surrounded by people who wanted me to succeed. In August 2007, I gave birth to a healthy baby girl.

In April 2008, I moved out of the Letty Owings Center and into Central City Concern’s alcohol- and drug-free family housing. Over the next three years, Central City Concern gave me the support I needed to stay sober through their Recovery Mentor Program, get job training through their Supported Employment program, and be a good mom.

Central City Concern gave me the gift of change I so desperately wanted five years ago. Now my daughter and I have our own place. I have a job that I love and I’m off all public assistance. And this year, I’m looking forward to the holidays.

I am so grateful for the support I received from Central City Concern. But I know there are hundreds of people out there who are still struggling like I once did. This holiday season, you can help by supporting Central City Concern with a gift of $500, $250, $100, or whatever you can afford. To make your gift on our secure, online server, click here.

Please make that gift today. The need for your support has never been greater.

 

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Central City Concern brought an array of service to Salina Perez -- beginning with Letty Owings Center and Alcohol/Drug-Free Family Housing to Supported Employment services. See how we never gave up on Salina and how far she has come.  (This video was shared at our annual Working Our Way Home luncheon.)

http://www.youtube.com/centralcityconcern#p/a/u/0/uJBe4t1HfU0

 

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Thank you for visiting this website to learn more about how Central City Concern helped me turn my life around.

Arrogant, unstable, unwilling to change.

High school dropout. Cocaine addict. Hustler and thief.

Chronically homeless. A drain on society.

That’s how I’d describe myself up until Thanksgiving 2008, when Central City Concern gave me one more chance to turn my life around.

I’d run away from home at age 10 and starting using drugs at about the same time. Between the ages of 12 and 44, I’d been arrested almost 200 times—126 times in Portland, alone. I’d spent 32 years living on the streets, been through four rehabs, and made countless trips to jail.

I was exhausted. And I was ready for something different.

I first became a client of Central City Concern in the Fall of 2006. CCC offered me a safe place to live and a case manager to help me get pointed in the right direction. I wasn’t particularly grateful for the help, at first. In fact, I continued to cause trouble for two more years. But Central City Concern never gave up on me.

In March 2009, I got a room at The Estate, one of several CCC buildings dedicated to housing people who are newly engaged in treatment and recovery. Shortly thereafter, I was hired on as a “barrel pusher” for the Clean & Safe program, where I started to gain job skills and earn a reputation as a dependable employee. I worked my way up, becoming a janitor through CCC’s Business Enterprises program.

Now I’m the Weekend Supervisor for the Clean & Safe program, a father to my children, and a mentor to other addicts struggling to get clean and off the streets. I’ve got my driver’s license, I’ve paid off my debts, and I’m planning on enrolling in community college so I can continue to advance professionally.

None of this would be happening for me without Central City Concern. I’m in the mainstream for the first time in my life.

I know there are countless other people out there like me who still need help. On any given night, approximately 2,500 adults—some with young children—are sleeping in shelters or doorways in the City of Portland. Nearly all of them are suffering from mental health problems, alcoholism or drug addiction. Some are victims of domestic violence. Some are military veterans with PTSD. Some have had experience with the legal system.

They all deserve the same chance I got to get on their feet.

That’s why I’m asking you to make a donation today to Central City Concern of $250, $100, $50, or whatever you can afford. You can click here to do so.

Thank you very much for supporting Central City Concern and giving others like me the chance to turn their lives around, too.

Sincerely,

Darrell W.

P.S.: For more information on who is homeless and why, please visit the National Alliance to End Homelessness website’s FAQ page.

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On what we hope will be a sunny Sunday on May 22nd, more than 30 of our staff members, clients, providers and friends from the 12th Avenue Recovery Center will join hundreds in the community for the NAMI Northwest Walk. The National Alliance on Mental Illness is a strong advocate for people with mental illness in the community, working to reduce stigma and isolation, and providing support to family members as well as professionals in the field.

The 2011 event marks the third year of an official Central City Concern team and every year we draw more and more participants. Each walker joining our team will receive a CCC 12th Ave Recovery Center t-shirt. We will provide transportation to and from the walk from the Recovery Center location. Click here to register for the walk today!

There are a number of compelling stories from people in our community about why they participate in this walk - check it out here. Join us!

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A Complex Case

Click on the above link to view the video.

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