As an individual or family graduates from the Rescue Mission, they are faced with many challenges:  threats to sobriety, balancing personal finances, navigating conflict with their spouse, and even just the intimidation and fear that can accompany leaving the “safety” of a program.
We recently implemented our Ongoing Education program, a program designed to promote transitional readiness and equip a diverse population of adults to pursue their career goals as well as become active participants in the community. The Ongoing Education program was born out of the need for support for our graduates as they transitioned from our program back into independent life.

Through Ongoing Education, monthly classes are offered for our program graduates in the following areas: Maintaining Sobriety, Strong Relationships, Career Advancement and Personal Finance, and Discipleship and Spiritual Growth.  Graduates also have access to legal services at the Trinity Law Clinic, career support through our Success Center, and food boxes in case an emergency need should arise.
Pepper Hale is the Rescue Mission’s Alumni Care Coordinator and she has a very personal investment in the Ongoing Education program:  she herself is Rescue Mission graduate!  Because she knows from experience the challenges facing a new graduate, she easily understands the needs and how to meet them.  “There is a stability that comes from staying connected,”  Pepper says about the importance of community.  It is her goal to bring the community of graduates together as a support system while they navigate life outside of the Rescue Mission.
Word of the Ongoing Education program is spreading quickly and has been met with enthusiasm by our graduates.  Over 35 people attended the first monthly gathering in September and 8 more individuals have signed up for the next gathering in October!  We are glad to see this success even in such a short amount of time and we are eager to see how this program can continue to benefit our graduates!

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