Newsletters

“Before I came to Helping Up Mission (HUM), my life revolved around drugs, the streets, abusive men, and jail… I was content living like a monster,” says Shawna, 31 (pictured left), frankly. “I was born in Martinsburg, West Virginia. My parents separated before I was born, and my mother, who was in ill health, had multiple brain surgeries. That’s when she became addicted to pain pills. I was 8 or 9 years old when I realized she was addicted.”

“I was 13 when I started smoking marijuana. It was normal for everybody in my neighborhood to use drugs. At 16, I tried my first pill. I swore my whole life I wasn’t going to be like my mom or the people in my neighborhood—I was going to be different. But I ended up the exact same, if not worse. While my mom stuck with pills, I was soon trying heroin.”

Shawna’s life spiraled out of control. “I was always in jail. I was destitute in every aspect,” she says softly. “While I was incarcerated at Baltimore County Jail, another inmate and future HUM graduate told me about the Mission. Then I met Jay Baylor in the START program (Striving to Achieve Recovery Together), and he told me about the Women’s Spiritual Recovery Program (WSRP). I was interested, but I still had eight more months of detention. I began reading the Bible and going to church, and all I could think about was HUM.”

“When I finally made it to court and they were discussing my case, I asked for a mandatory release to Helping Up. I wanted no other options because I knew I would end up back in jail.”

“Since coming to HUM, I have new, perfect teeth. I dropped out of high school in the 11th grade, and I am the first woman while here to earn a high school diploma. And the most amazing thing—I recently got hired by HUM as the Program Office Assistant for the Gateway Program, a program that helps women who are contemplating recovery.”

“I want to be an asset to my community and to God. I want to be a tool that He can use to help people who are in the same state I was. And thanks to HUM, I am getting ready to do just that. I have a restored relationship with my 10-year-old son, my father, and my stepmother. I have hope for life. I never thought I could be drug-free, let alone clean and succeeding.”

“To the donors, thank you. I don’t know where I would be. I have no words. Without YOU, women like me would have no hope.”

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