being caught as a passenger in a vehicle carrying 570 pounds of marijuana. She was released to Crossroads for Women, a housing program for women recovering from addiction located in Phoenix, but continued to be monitored by the federal pre-trial system. Her attorney told her she was looking at a minimum fiveyear sentence. “It was at that point I told myself I had two choices,” Dana says. “I could do the wrong thing or make the most of the little time I had left before I was locked up and get clean.” She was paired with a sponsor who told it to her
AN NVCA EDUCATION DELIVERS
straight, promising Dana that until she was willing to
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unload everything that had happened to her, no matter
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how trivial it seemed, she would never be able to stop using drugs as a way to fill the void.
to look back on it and realize the bondage I was in
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because of the things I was ashamed to share. They
and communities
“So I told her everything,” Dana says. “It’s amazing
kept me down. Coming clean with her gave me the freedom to get clean. I’m celebrating two years of sobriety in September 2014, and I’ve taken it 24 hours
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at a time. My sponsor has made me want to be a
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better woman.” Crossroads has been an instrumental part of Dana’s recovery journey, not only in pairing her with a sponsor but also in helping her discover Mary Ellen’s Place, Veterans First and the woman who has changed the lives of countless female vets across the Valley: Joan Sisco. “Joan, MaryAnn, Darlene and the women of Veterans First have saved me, and they’re willing to do it out of the goodness of their heart without expecting anything
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in return,” she says. Founded by Joan in 2003, Veterans First is a non-profit dedicated to addressing the unique and challenging needs of and ongoing issues facing female military veterans, with a heavy emphasis on those who may be homeless, at risk of being homeless or struggling with or without children. In May 2011, the organization opened Mary Ellen’s Place, the first affordable housing
NVCA offers small classes with professionally trained educators that provide individual attention in a caring and nurturing environment. For more information about NVCA contact, Shannon Lauletta, at 623.419.3005 or ShannonL@northvalleyca.org
november 2014
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