Be blown away by Natalie's unbelievable story of struggle and triumph. Natalie went from being a homeless addict to a successful staff member at Avenues Recovery.
I was really struggling. Between sleeping outside, or at one point I was sleeping in somebody's closet… I was dealing with a lot of legal issues and I was just tired of running and hiding. A couple of places wouldn't even take me back, but Avenues took a chance on me and I'm so grateful for that.
I'm very proud of myself because to have come from a homeless addict who was desperate, to becoming a client of Avenues, and then becoming alumni and gaining that support, to then becoming a BHT where I am a part of the client support network to becoming case manager and getting that promotion where I'm an even more integral part is so amazing to me.
Who would have thought little old me sitting in jail would be on the opposite side of the desk that I've always been on before? To be able to take my pain and my experience and everything that I went through and had to go through and the knowledge that I've gained from it - to be able to use that to help some of the current clients now - that's what recovery is all about.