SEEDS
of Hope
Agency Newsletter | Winter 2026
Behind the Smile: Danielle’s Powerful Journey from Trauma to Recovery Conversation comes easily with Danielle, an OhioGuidestone client whose dimpled smile and bright eyes reflect compassion and an easygoing warmth. She hopes these qualities will serve her well as she prepares to become a licensed social worker. Danielle credits three OhioGuidestone programs for helping her rebuild her life: substance use disorder treatment, supportive housing during recovery, and an employment program guiding her career path. For the first time in years, she says she is truly happy. For much of her life, Danielle’s smile hid deep pain. Alcohol became her escape from nightmares, the trauma of a violent attack, and grief over her brother’s death. “I kept everything bottled inside me,” she said. “Alcohol was the only way I could get through the day and sleep at night.”
She held things together until a medical procedure led to pain medication. Dependence grew, and soon she became someone she and her family didn’t recognize. The combination of painkillers and alcohol caused her to lose trust as a mother, grandmother, sibling, and daughter. “It’s not in my nature to steal, but that’s what I did to get drugs,” she said. “I just didn’t care about anything else.” Despite attempts at treatment, she repeatedly relapsed. After a long stretch of sobriety, another relapse led to a DUI—an experience she calls heartbreaking and life-changing. “I had no choice. I went to jail,” she said. Incarceration helped her see that she wasn’t alone and that people genuinely wanted to help her heal. She also learned that recovery takes many continued on page 2
Behind the Smile: Danielle’s Powerful Journey from Trauma to Recovery, continued from page 1
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FROM THE CEO
The past three months have been remarkably productive for OhioGuidestone. Our staff continues to show what’s possible when compassion, innovation, and community come together, and I’m proud to share some highlights. The spirit of giving was on display as donors, partners, and volunteers helped make our Holiday Shops a success. Their generosity brightened the holiday season with toys and gifts for more than 1,300 children and families served by OhioGuidestone. We were also honored to receive national recognition for our leadership in Measurement-Based Care. This achievement reflects the dedication of our Chief Clinical Officer, Dr. Kathleen Kern, and our clinical teams, whose commitment to new, data-informed approaches continues to improve outcomes for those we serve. Our Yes, We Do That! campaign made its debut during a Cleveland Cavaliers game at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, highlighting the breadth of services we provide and our commitment to highquality, person-centered care.
forms. That’s when she discovered OhioGuidestone’s Discovery Recovery House, a safe, supportive sober living community. “It was more than just a place to stay,” she said. “The staff showed me that a beautiful life was possible. They opened the door to everything I needed.” Through OhioGuidestone, Danielle found resources that supported every part of her recovery. She met women whose stories inspired her and committed fully to rebuilding her life. She embraced the challenge of intensive outpatient therapy, spending nine hours a week unpacking decades of trauma. She also found employment support through OhioGuidestone’s Workforce 360° Program, where she met Jessica Betley, Workforce Navigator, who became her mentor, coach, and friend. Jessica encouraged her to continue her education, and OhioGuidestone helped secure funding. Danielle enrolled in an online college to study social work. Jessica isn’t surprised by her progress. “Danielle is committed,” she said. “She owns her responsibilities, handles challenges professionally, and is an excellent listener.” Those listening skills will serve Danielle well as she begins her new career. Her warm smile now reflects a future she has worked fiercely to build—and a life where she can help others feel safe enough to open up, heal, and find their own path forward to their healthiest future.
This season also brought an inspiring success story from Danielle, whose journey through multiple OhioGuidestone programs helped her reconnect with loved ones and move toward a hopeful future. Finally, please save the date for September 26, 2026. Promise Run is back! Here’s to another great year for OhioGuidestone and the people we serve.
Brant Russell, President and CEO
Seeds of Hope | Winter 2026
Watch Danielle’s inspirational story here.
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OhioGuidestone.org
Don’t Bet On It The High Cost of Youth Sports Gambling
The rise of sports betting has fundamentally changed the landscape of problem gambling. Not long ago, wagering required multiple “hurdles” that could help limit excessive behavior such as traveling to a physical location, making time to place a bet, and potentially explaining your plans to a friend or family member.
The psychological impact of gambling addiction can be severe. An estimated 80% of individuals struggling with gambling addiction report suicidal thoughts, and 20% attempt suicide. This is nearly twice the rate of suicidality experienced by those with other behavioral health disorders.
Today, gambling has become increasingly digital, and wagering is now as accessible as scrolling through social media. As a result, the risk of developing a gambling disorder has grown significantly larger.
Prevention in key. Prevention strategies include education, parental controls on in-app purchases, monitoring games and downloads, and having early conversations with youth about gambling risks. Warning signs of problem gambling may include sudden loss of money, secretive behavior, an extreme focus on sports statistics, and neglect of self care.
According to Ohio for Responsible Gambling, helpline calls increased by 55% in 2023, the year sports betting was first legalized in Ohio. Nearly 1.8 million Ohio adults are considered at risk for problem gambling, with approximately 255,000 individuals meeting the criteria for a gambling disorder. Young adults are particularly vulnerable to this shift. Research suggests that teenagers who gamble are up to four times more likely to develop a gambling problem later in life. Events like March Madness can become high-risk periods, where bracket mania may transition into habitual betting. Younger populations are also being impacted. Statistics from the Ohio Lottery Commission show that roughly 15% of Ohio youth ages 12 to 17 are already gambling. OhioGuidestone Therapist and Supervisor Megan Loesch notes that many popular video games include gambling-like features such as loot boxes and in-game currencies, where real money is exchanged for chance-based rewards. About 50% of youth are exposed to these elements by ages 9 or 10, increasing long-term risk.
OhioGuidestone.org
If you’re concerned about your own or a loved one’s gambling habits, OhioGuidestone can help. Learn more about the signs of problem gambling and the steps to prevent it on our website.
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Seeds of Hope | Winter 2026
ADVANCEMENT
A Season of Generosity: How Our Community Made Spirits Brighter
The winter holiday season holds a special kind of magic. It’s the glow of lights, the comfort of shared moments, and the reminder that even during some of the busiest times of the year, there is still room to pause and reflect. At OhioGuidestone, the spirit of the holiday season was felt across our entire organization through an incredible outpouring of generosity from donors, partners, and volunteers. Because of their support, individuals and families across our programs were able to experience a brighter holiday season. Nearly $20,000 in monetary donations were contributed to support our Holiday Shops. Even more impressively, OhioGuidestone experienced a record-breaking year of in-kind donations valued at approximately $45,000. These contributions filled Holiday Shops in Berea, Columbus, and Toledo, serving more than 1,300 clients across the state. We know the holiday season is officially in full swing when the elves at Honda of Middleburg Heights gather truckloads of toys for children to help stock our Holiday Shops, and the Blue Technologies sleigh pulls up to our donation center. Year after year, this longtime partner arrives in Berea with a box truck filled with toys. Blue Technologies’ generosity continued through a special holiday party for our ProKids program, where families gathered to share a meal and receive gifts from Santa. Santa also stayed busy throughout the season. In Northeast Ohio, foster families gathered for a festive breakfast where children in our foster care program had
Seeds of Hope | Winter 2026
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the chance to visit with him. In Northwest Ohio, foster families celebrated together on the ice during a special skating party at The Cube. Santa also made a stop at our Residential Treatment Center (RTC) with longtime partner Fostering Hope, bringing smiles and holiday cheer to the children there.
Special thanks to these generous donors who supported our holiday efforts with gifts of $1,000 or more:
The reindeer deliveries didn’t stop there! Generous donors provided a foosball table for our Workforce students, newborn necessities for growing families in our Help Me Grow program, hygienic products for clients at Medina’s Youth Resiliency Center, and gifts for our clients residing at our Harbor House in Tuscarawas as well as those we serve in Lorain county.
Robert & Perri Bishop
The season concluded with a joyful Noon Year’s Eve celebration hosted by OhioGuidestone’s Associate Board at our RTC in Berea, where the kids counted down to 2026 surrounded by laughter, excitement, and hope for the year ahead. As 2026 gets underway, OhioGuidestone reflects on this incredible season of giving with deep gratitude. Thank you to our donors, community partners, and volunteers whose generosity helped make the holiday season brighter for so many.
Blue Technologies Fostering Hope Honda of Middleburg Heights Interlake Maritime Services KeyBank Ron & Diane McKinley MCPc Spence & Sue Meloun Angelo & Mary Jo Pimpas Progressive Insurance Reuter Stokes Rockport United Methodist Church St. Joseph Byzantine Strongsville Middle School Townsend Group VFW Auxiliary Post 6676
Special thanks to our volunteer groups: AmTrust CFNA Fostering Hope Relation Insurance Southwest General
OhioGuidestone.org
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Seeds of Hope | Winter 2026
ACROSS THE AGENCY
Yes, We Do That! At OhioGuidestone, we’re often asked what services we offer—and we’re happy to say the answer is, more often than not: Yes. Mental health care? Yes. Substance use services? Yes. School support? Yes. Foster care? Yes. Primary care? Yes. And the list goes on.
The campaign began with a soft launch in late 2025 and officially debuted during Mental Health Awareness Night with the Cleveland Cavaliers on January 12, featuring a 45-second video shown during pre-game and halftime. This messaging will continue to reach communities across the state through a variety of platforms, from billboards to flyers and everything in between.
To showcase the full continuum of services we provide to support individuals and families across Ohio, OhioGuidestone launched our new marketing campaign: Yes, We Do That! Because when someone is reaching out for help, the answer they’re hoping to hear is “yes .” A call to OhioGuidestone is that “yes” and the first step in helping individuals and families find the path to their healthiest future.
So the next time you wonder if OhioGuidestone offers support for something, the answer is: Yes, we do that!
Mockup for demonstration purposes only.
Seeds of Hope | Winter 2026
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OhioGuidestone.org
Dr. Kathleen Kern Named National MVP for Advancing MeasurementBased Care We are proud to celebrate our Chief Clinical Officer Dr. Kathleen Kern, who has been named the 2025 MVP of Measurement‑Based Care (MBC) by Greenspace Health. This national honor recognizes a leader who demonstrates exceptional vision, innovation, and impact in bringing evidence‑based practices to behavioral health care.
TIPS: KEEP A PULSE ON YOUR MENTAL HEALTH OhioGuidestone uses MeasurementBased Care (MBC), a tool that allows clients to record and track their progress, share updates with their therapist, and stay aligned with their care plan. Below are some tips from our MBC Experts that you can adopt in your own life to keep a pulse on your mental health.
MBC empowers clinicians and clients to track progress together—not just through conversation, but through meaningful data gathered throughout treatment. Under Dr. Kern’s leadership, MBC has become a core element of OhioGuidestone’s clinical strategy, strengthening the organization’s ability to understand client needs and adjust care more effectively. “I am honored to receive this award,” said Dr. Kern. “But the true credit goes to our dedicated clinical teams. Their commitment to embedding MBC into everyday practice has transformed the way we understand and support our clients. This work is improving outcomes in powerful ways, and I’m grateful to be part of it.”
Daily Check‑Ins: Regularly note your mood, stress levels, and sleep patterns. This can help you notice emotional changes early. Track Progress: Review and look for trends that show behavioral improvements or declines. Patterns and triggers will be easier to identify. Set Wellness Goals: Set small goals like improving your daily routine or reducing stress. Tracking progress helps you stay accountable. Note Symptoms: Noting any symptoms that appear more frequently will alert you when it might be time to seek extra support.
OhioGuidestone is using measurement-based care to support over 700 clinicians and over 15,000 clients.
13 convenient locations across the state.
If any of these measures show a pattern of concerning behavior, OhioGuidestone is here for you. Visit ohioguidestone.org to learn more.
Visit my myreadycare.org for more information. OhioGuidestone.org
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Seeds of Hope | Winter 2026
In The News OhioGuidestone’s Holiday Shop Featured in The Blade The Blade highlighted our second annual Holiday Shop in Toledo showcasing this joyful tradition in Northwest Ohio, ensuring individuals and families served by OhioGuidestone, in need of support, received meaningful holiday gifts.
ReadyCare Walk-In Clinics Featured on Fox 8’s New Day Cleveland New Day Cleveland spotlighted our ReadyCare Clinics, highlighting sameday access to behavioral healthcare and support for seasonal and post-holiday challenges.
Dr. Kathleen Kern Featured on WKYC Discussing Winter Blues Chief Clinical Officer, Dr. Kathleen Kern was interviewed by WKYC on coping with the winter blues, sharing practical guidance to support mental wellness during the long, cold winter season.
EVENTS
and fundraising
Save the date for OhioGuidestone’s 2026 Promise Run! Saturday, September 26 at Wallace Lake Park in Berea, Ohio Lace up, join the fun, and help support life‑changing programs in our community. This 10k, 5k, and 1 mile run/walk provides support for those served by OhioGuidestone’s programs and services. To get updates on our upcoming events, sign up for our newsletter!
Licenses and Certifications Ohio Department of Job and Family Services | Ohio Department of Behavioral Health
Approved Health & Welfare Organization of the East Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church