For years, Susan battled drug addiction, even after she had a child. Once she became a mother, she faced one of the most challenging circumstances of her life, when she lost custody of her daughter. During the time that Susan’s daughter was in custody of The Georgia Division of Family & Children Services (DFCS), she received a referral to CHRIS 180’s H.E.R.O (Helping Restore families impacted by Opioids) Program.
Uniting a Mother and Daughter
The H.E.R.O. Program, which provides trauma-focused and evidenced-based counseling and support to children who have been impacted by a caregiver’s substance use disorder, helped Susan reunite with her daughter in 2022. Throughout this process, CHRIS 180 therapists provided child and family therapy to help Susan’s daughter cope with the feelings of abandonment. Today, Susan has been clean for more than three years and is adjusting to her new role in motherhood. “I love being a mom and having my daughter back has given me life again and has given me another purpose to live,” Susan expressed.
A Mother of Four Finds Housing for Her Children
Like Susan, JJ was trying to get her life back on track for her family. She first learned about CHRIS 180 through our Westside Empowerment Center (WEC), a counseling and community location that offers therapy, health coaching and social services to community members on Atlanta’s Westside. JJ, who was pregnant and her three children were experiencing homelessness and had been living in their family van. With the due date of her fourth child quickly approaching, JJ knew she needed to act quickly to find housing and food for her family. A CHRIS 180 Westside Empowerment Center team member was able to help JJ find a safe home just before the birth of her fourth child.
These two stories are just a few highlight the strength and resiliency of women in CHRIS 180 programs. For every story told, there is another mother overcoming her own hidden battles. Similarly, the women we support are connected through their determination to provide the best life for their children.
Giving the Gift of Self-Care
CHRIS 180 is proud to celebrate the accomplishments of the mothers in our programs. Day by day, mothers work relentlessly wearing many hats. Whether they are maintaining the household, working a full or part-time job, or providing physical and emotional support to those around them– it is important to honor them.
In honor of Mother’s Day, CHRIS 180 wants to give back to hardworking parents with self-care baskets. With mouths to feed and families to support, self-care items like lotions, journals, blankets, gift cards, etc., can often seem out of reach and non-essential.
As a mental healthcare organization we recognize just how important self-care is for rejuvenating the mind and body. When mothers have an increased mental well-being, they can continue to strengthen their families and move forward toward their goals.
Help CHRIS 180 celebrate this day for our clients by purchasing items from our Mother’s Day wish list. You can also make a difference by making a monetary donation. When giving online, please be sure to note Mother’s Day. If you would like to volunteer to create baskets, visit chris180.org/volunteer. For questions, contact Damira.shields@chris180.org. Mothers in our program will receive the gift of a lifetime with the help of our supporters and volunteers.
Briyanna Ferguson is the Marketing & Communications Coordinator at CHRIS 180
