Adam’s Success Story

For my thirteenth birthday, my mother gave me methamphetamine as my present. I come from a long line of drug users and abusers, and this gift set me on the same destructive path. I grew into a lifelong drug addict—until I found the help I needed at the Rescue Mission of Salt Lake.

Growing up in rural northeast Utah (the Vernal area) and northwest Colorado, I came to believe that because my entire family was involved in the drug life, I too would be a lifelong addict.

My life was spent in and out of prison for selling and using drugs, only to be sent back for parole or probation violations. When I wasn’t incarcerated, I was usually living on the streets or bouncing from place to place, unable to get sober or hold down long-term employment.

By 2023, the court system had understandably had enough of me. My lawyer told me that the judge had given me a choice: I could enter Drug Court or spend the next 35 years in prison for my numerous parole violations and felony charges.

Though I had no faith background, a friend told me about the Rescue Mission of Salt Lake’s New Life Program. I needed a place to live while in Drug Court, and the Mission agreed to let me stay there and join the New Life Program as I also worked through my court requirements. When I first started, I planned to run—maybe try to escape to another state.

But as I worked through the New Life Program, I developed friendships, and grew to appreciate helping others, something finally clicked in my mind. I said, “I’m done. I don’t want to see prison again. I don’t want to live on the streets anymore.”

In addition to becoming sober, I now love that I can help the homeless and share my story. I truly believe that if I can do it, anyone can. I tell people that the Mission is like a family. They’re not an organization just trying to get public dollars for every person who comes through their door. In fact, they don’t take public funds at all.  At the Rescue Mission, you are treated like a human, not a dollar sign. There is always someone available, day or night, who you can talk to.

My passion for helping the homeless has carried over into my new work life. I joined the employment phase of the program several months ago and now work at a facility that houses homeless people on the west side of Salt Lake. The company has a secure lot filled with re-purposed shipping containers that are used as short-term housing. I check the residents in and out, looking for weapons or other contraband to ensure a safe environment. I also help with meal service, as meals are catered into the lot from off site.

In December, I became a Certified Homeless Caseworker through the State of Utah, after completing educational requirements and logging over 400 hours working with the homeless community. It is incredible to help people who are in the same life situation I was in only a short time ago.

Please pray for me as I plan to move into my own apartment in March. I would love to make homeless and addition services my career.  I still struggle with God and faith. I believe in God, but I have not yet fully put my trust in Jesus. I’ve appreciated the faith-based aspects of the Mission’s program, but I know I need more of God’s help to fully understand the truth about Him.

I cannot say enough about how your support and the Mission’s love have helped me. I want to especially thank Cassie, the program director, for her unwavering support and care. Now, with nineteen months of sobriety, I can’t express how much this place has changed my life.