chc 8th ANNIVERSARY BANQUet 6/6/25

Today I am so grateful and thankful for life. I'm in my 40's and for most of my life I struggled with alcohol. Yes, I was a professional alcoholic. 13 months ago I came to CHC for help. They told me they would set up detox and 28 program then when I come home they would provide recovery coaching and groups to continue the treatment. If I  needed medication treatment they would connect with their resources. I just celebrated my 1 year anniversary and i have to say I am not only sober but I am clean on the inside. Many emotional & mental things that haunted me for years are gone. I am a new creation and yes I had an experience that is not easy to explain. Surrendering is where it starts and staying surrendered is where new life happens. Thank you CHC for loving me when I didn't.

Anonymous 

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   I came to CHC 3years ago with a heroin habit and court case hanging over my head. I asked if they could help me, and they said yes just be consistent to groups and recovery coaching. Two weeks later they wrote a letter to the judge letting them know that I was attending CHC and asking for favor concerning my charges. Requesting residential treatment instead of Rikers Island and the judge granted it. I went into a program and CHC was still there for me. Sending me all the things that I needed. That was over years ago and today I am delivered from drugs, married, great job and life is beautiful. CHC is a powerful place where you learn how to bring recovery and together. With those two together I found my God given identity & purpose in life. Grateful.....

Anonymous 

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"Impacted by substance abuse and addiction most of my life, left me with: emotional scars, character defects, adopted negative behaviors, heartache, pain, confusion and a debilitating level of condemnation. I could not manage my actions, reactions or emotions healthily because I did not understand or have the ability to deal with them. These challenges left me tormented, physical ill, mentally drained, and spiritually lost. I struggled in so many areas in my life and needed to be set free from my codependent nature, and unmanageable lifestyle. I needed guidance, clarity, healing and freedom. The Celebrate Hope Recovery Center is where I found that, and all Free of charge. 

The diverse groups I attend at the center provide me with the tools I need to overcome many past and present challenges and obstacles. 

The staff is well educated, informed, available and provides consistency to its members in need. The Celebrate Hope Recovery Center is a family to me. The love, support, knowledge and encouragement I have received is priceless and continues to change my life. 

Anonymous

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I grew up in a good family, very stable and professional parents but when I turned 15, I began to hang out in the neighborhood and got involved with the wrong people that taught me how to steal cars. Like all mischief you graduate from one thing to the next so smoking marijuana and drinking came with my new family of friends. Within just a year I began to experiment with other drugs and became addicted true them. Was arrested six times from 15 to 17 years old for shoplifting and stealing cars to support my habit. My drug problem took me into a very dark way of living and my family had no idea how to help me. They sent me into a treatment program three different times and each time I came out and relapsed within a week. Unfortunately, it wasn't until I was incarcerated and in Rikers Island that I was clean from drugs because of being in prison. When I got out a friend of mine invited me to Celebrate Hope Recovery Center I really didn't want to go because I heard it was faith-based but I knew I had to try something otherwise the results will be the same or worse. When I went there, I received a lot of encouragement and inspiration. Everyone there was like me or came out of a life worse than me. Many of them received a breakthrough and were no longer that person they used to be. I wanted that desperately, but I just didn't know how to get it. I stayed consistent with coming to the groups and one-on-one counseling. I stayed close to my recovery coach & older members that were serious about recovery. Today it has been over two years that I have been clean from all addictions, courageously dealing with character defects through my faith and identity I discovered in Christ being my higher power. I'm not alone anymore, I have a new family at Celebrate Hope Recovery Center and my relationship with my mom and dad is restored and beautiful again. I am a grateful man today and can truly say I don’t know if I would be alive if it wasn’t for Celebrate Hope Recovery Center how to live life successfully.

Anonymous 

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I'm a married man who has struggled with an addiction of crack cocaine and alcohol for years. I struggled to stay clean for so long but with the Grace of God, who is my higher power my life has been turned around. At Celebrate Hope Center my faith and recovery came together, and it has helped me to remain clean and sober minded for 6 years now. Attending meetings and using my resources and recovery tools have been life changing for me. Now I am a reliable and trustworthy person. My credibility with my wife has been restored and my kids got their dad back. Today I am a trustee at my church, and a hard-working employee at Amazon for over 5 yrs. Tuesday night men's Overcomers group is my most important group because I get to pour my heart out without being look down on, also Saturday group is also one of my favorites. Celebrate Hope Center has been the place God has used to transform me and continues to use to keep me strong. Very grateful!

Anonymous

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I am a professional married women with 2 kids in college. I have been coming to Celebrate Hope Recovery Center for approximately a year and a half now and I can't even count the ways in which it has helped me to grow. I have been battling addiction with alcohol for approximately six years now and it wasn't until I let Jesus and the CHRC in my life that I have been getting better exponentially. The interesting part is that I was raised Jewish, and I accepted Jesus as my savior about two years ago, so I feel like I was chosen twice first as a young Jewish girl and now as a Christian. I feel extremely blessed to have found the CHRC through a wonderful friend who I call my sister. She asked me to call Pastor Joe when I was struggling, and I have not looked back since. CHRC and all the people at the recovery center have extreme passion for helping people come to the light and also get to stronger place within to overcome the habits. They do it in a very unique way, which is pairing recovery with spirit and ultimately hope. I would love to say that things have been perfect, but we are taught spiritual growth, not spiritual perfection. One thing that stands out is for 2024. I usually have a bunch of New Year's resolutions, but with CHRC help, I concentrated on one which was to strengthen my faith in my God given identity. I'm glad to be able to say that I have let the light into my life and things have been getting better day by day, thank you for letting me share. 

Anonymous 

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I’m 29 years old and have been regularly attending meetings at Celebrate Hope Center for the last three years. I’ve been in relationship with Jesus for the past 9 years. In the past I had struggled with dependency on alcohol, food, and porn. Celebrate Hope has not only helped me stay clean and sober, but more importantly it has also helped me discover and heal from the initial causes of addiction. Celebrate Hope, especially the Thursday night Women’s group called Begin Again Ministries has helped and continues to help me in my recovery immeasurably. To name just a few ways, it has helped me mend broken relationships in my life, walk in victory over sin and shame, understand God’s Word, and above all, has helped me experience the felt love of God. I thank the Lord for the healing and deliverance He does in those rooms.  

Anonymous 

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   4 years ago, I lost my son to addiction. I was in a very sad and dark place. Had everyone around me and so much love around me but I still felt so lonely and broken. I moved out of state a year before my son passed. So, I was now filled with regret and guilt for not being there. After 4 years of living with my daughter and my granddaughter my son-in-law thought it was best for me to get help and come back to Staten Island and I am so happy he made that decision for me. My husband was continuing with the meetings at Celebrate Hope Center & someone sent me a link to Bam Zoom group on Tuesday's run by Ann Marasco. I can truly say that it was the timing of God and that women embraced me in a way no one else was able to. Now I attend the Thursday BAM woman's group and Friday's Celebrate Recovery group. My life has changed drastically I have been given the tools to grieve successfully, I have made the best brothers and sisters in Christ. My husband and I have been working out our marriage of 36 years and most of all I am learning how to turn over everything I am dealing with to the lord and releasing it. I have been learning God’s word from a recovery and healing mindset and it has been so liberating. I have the most appreciation for the leadership and my brothers and sisters that are fighters in Christ just like me. In 1 year, I have come a long way and thank God that I'm not where I used to be. Now I know why my son spoke so highly of Celebrate Hope Center. 

Anonymous

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And there are many, many more.