Katarina

My name is Katarina, and my sobriety date is 8/24/15 with no days off!

I am the very first person to be served by ChooseWell Communities. I met Stephanie, Kate, Kri, Lisa, and Leslie of ChooseWell when I was in a local residential substance abuse treatment center while pregnant with my first daughter. When I left treatment, I was bouncing from place to place until I secured housing with a Section 8 Housing voucher through my participation with ChooseWell. I was finally able to be in my OWN apartment as of 4/20/2016, which felt so, so good. Since that day, I have made a commitment to grind for me and my daughters and to reach for my dreams. I wanted to go to school to become a mechanic and to one day aspire to have my own shop. My ChooseWell family pushed me--even when I felt like giving up. I wouldn't be here without the support of ChooseWell Communities who was always there to catch me when I was falling.

In my time with ChooseWell, I have completed college & officially graduate in October 2020. I now work as an automotive technician at Ken Towery's and have previously worked with Ready to Work & even with ChooseWell Communities for my work studies. I brought another beautiful daughter into this world and was sober the entire pregnancy (I even went into labor while at the ChooseWell office!). I have received scholarships through ChooseWell so that I could purchase tools and materials needed to further my career to better support my daughters and myself. I have established good credit, and am on my way to home ownership, which I am so proud of. I can honestly say that I couldn't have reached so many goals so gracefully without the help of my ChooseWell family.

I have bonded so much with each and every family served through ChooseWell. I've gotten to watch their children grow, their recovery strengthen, and their confidence blossom. I have sooooo many good memories that its hard to pick just one that I love! I have enjoyed working in the ChooseWell office, getting to know all of the families, and programming that included yoga. I loved being inspired by the ChooseWell staff (shoutout to Stephanie) & all of the other amazing programs that I learned about through my time with ChooseWell Communities.

My advice to other parents who are on the road to recovery: Its ok to not be ok, but always be sure to pick yourself up and fix your crown. JUST REACH OUT! Find gratitude in the little miracles and never forget where you came from. Celebrate your victories. You & your kids deserve you at your best.

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Rina graduated from ChooseWell in 2020!