“This place is a success story waiting to happen for anyone who truly wants it,” Alicia reflects on her experience at Haymarket Center.
Before she arrived at Haymarket, Alicia faced significant challenges. She was homeless, living in a stairwell of an abandoned building frequented by drug dealers, and struggling with daily heroin use. Although she never wanted to engage in substance use activity, she lacked the courage to change her situation. In 2019, after hitting rock bottom, she made the desperate decision to get herself incarcerated, seeking merely a safe, warm place to sleep.
“Take me to jail,” she remembers saying repeatedly.
In July of 2021, through the Cook County Jail Thrive program that provides access to treatment at Haymarket Center instead of incarceration, Alicia found her way to this transformative facility. Here, she learned to read and write, obtained her birth certificate and state ID, and accessed crucial medical and DCFS services. Everything she needed to be an active participant of society was available to her at Haymarket Center.
Haymarket focuses on the whole person, offering comprehensive support for recovery. Our treatment programs are accessible to everyone 24/7/365, including the most underserved communities of the Chicago area. Please donate to help us to continue the care for all individuals, regardless of ability to pay for treatment.
Now, as she graduated from Haymarket’s programs year, Alicia has been sober for over two years and is working in the housekeeping department at Haymarket Center—her first job ever. With Haymarket’s assistance, she is also back in school, working toward her GED.
“Everything I do now is because I want to, not because I have to. I used to have to wake up to get money to get high—it was mandatory. Now, I go to school because I want my education. I come to work because I like my job. Nothing I do anymore is because I have to,” Alicia said.
However, despite her remarkable progress, she recently faced a heartbreaking setback.
Setbacks may occur, but patients at Haymarket learn invaluable lessons to overcome challenges, even after they leave.
“I learned at Haymarket that life will happen. I heard that every day since I came here, but I didn’t truly understand it until now. I can’t control life; I can only control myself. What matters is that I keep fighting for my future.”
Alicia’s journey is just one of many that highlight the transformative impact of Haymarket. When asked what she would tell potential donors, her message is clear and powerful: “There is another me out there waiting to be saved. This place saved me and has saved others before me. As long as Haymarket stands strong, it will continue to save lives.”
Please consider donating to Haymarket Center in support of patients like Alicia. Your contribution can help create more success stories like Alicia’s. Together, we can ensure that others have the opportunity to turn their lives around and gain courage to reclaim their futures.