Podathon For Recovery: Rachel on Sober Living, Healing, and Hope

Rich & Wendy 0:00
Welcome to a special episode of Conversations with Rich Bennett. This is a part of our part of our recoveries. 12 days of hope. Our mission to raise money for raise against addiction. My co-host Wendy Beck and I will be sharing powerful stories of addiction, recovery and resilience to help break the stigma and show that hope is always possible. Your support helps raise against addiction, provide life change and resources, and you can donate right now by visiting our GoFundMe link in the show notes. We are so grateful you've joined us on this important journey. Now let's get into today's conversation. 

Rich Bennett 0:38
Alright so another special episode I am joined by, of course, my lovely co-host Wendy and we have somebody even lovelyer with us today. Somebody's been on, this is fourth or fifth 

Rachel 0:51
time. Oh gosh, I don't 

Rich Bennett 0:54
know. I think it might be your 

Rachel 0:57
list track. 

Rich Bennett 0:58
Yeah I know, I know your list track 10. Let's see. Lydia's been on, 

Wendy Beck 1:00
Lydia. 

Rich Bennett 1:00
it's white, no, You've been on, 

Rachel 1:03
your 

Rich Bennett 1:03
this is 

Rachel 1:03
list. Okay, 

Rich Bennett 1:05
we have Rachel. Hi 

Wendy Beck 1:07
Rachel. So in honor of National Recovery Month, we've been bringing people about their recovery stories and we want it to do a little recap about rage against addiction since this is what we're calling a pot of thorn and throwing it out there this year so everyone can understand the beauty of recovery and what the other organizations like rage and treatment centers are doing to make that happen for everyone. So first of all, I just want to say that rage against addiction is a nonprofit organization and we provide awareness and support to anyone that struggles from drug and/or alcohol abuse including the families. Our main programs are sober living for women and we have three houses in the Hartford County Maryland area. We just don't house women from Hartford County. We have house women from all over the country. Yeah. And Rachel's our program director and rich, by the way, is 

Rich Bennett 2:10
what I do. 

Wendy Beck 2:10
He is on our board of directors. 

Rich Bennett 2:12
Oh, 

Wendy Beck 2:14
so we 

Rich Bennett 2:15
say 

Wendy Beck 2:15
want 

Rich Bennett 2:15
what 

Wendy Beck 2:15
to 

Rich Bennett 2:15
she said that I thought I was a trouble for a minute. 

Wendy Beck 2:17
are 

Rachel 2:17
No, 

Wendy Beck 2:18
always in trouble. 

Rich Bennett 2:23
Now 

Wendy Beck 2:23
he has been very gracious in allowing us to tell our story and being part of his podcast so we can get the news out about recovery and all of the things that we're doing in the area and beyond. 

Rich Bennett 2:36
Well, I was going to say because you guys are making a huge difference beyond. And I think I told you about the guy from Canada. 

Wendy Beck 2:43
I don't know. I don't think 

Rich Bennett 2:44
I believe it was your story, Rachel. Somebody from Canada heard your story the 

Wendy Beck 2:50
so. 

Rich Bennett 2:50
first time you were on and reached out to me and his daughter was in addiction and he didn't know what to do. And your story and was able to get her in recovery. 

Rachel 3:02
Wow. 

Rich Bennett 3:02
I stay in contact with and 

Rachel 3:05
him 

Rich Bennett 3:06
she's still doing 

Rachel 3:08
good. 

Rich Bennett 3:08
still doing 

Rachel 3:08
Wow. 

Wendy Beck 3:08
That's 

Rich Bennett 3:09
Yeah, 

Wendy Beck 3:09
awesome. 

Rich Bennett 3:09
but yeah, so it's not just. And the judges for here, I mean, anywhere people, exactly, exactly. 

Wendy Beck 3:17
The origin of the organization, you know, we were founded in 2014, just me, a mom that was confused. Didn't know what was happening with my daughter and I just kept coming to roadblocks and anything that was available to her at that time. No, remember, this was 10 plus years ago and recovery has come along. They're just wasn't the resources that we have now. So one of the first things that she had on her journey was, you know, of course treatment, but then she went to sober living and I just my my jaw dropped when I went there and I was like, this just cannot be how we're going to help her. And so one of the first things on our list of things to do was to open a sober living house. And Rachel joined me very quickly in her early recovery. And she's now the program director. And she, you know, is amazing in her leadership and mentorship for hundreds and hundreds of women that have come through our door. So I wanted to have Rachel just talk a little bit about our program, why it works. And why, you know, we have a wait list. We have people that that want to come to us, but I think it's more because we're a family. 

Rachel 4:39
Mm-hmm. Yeah, no. So, I mean, I 

Rich Bennett 4:43
don't 

Wendy Beck 4:43
want to 

Rachel 4:44
Back up and just kinda talk about how I met Wendy because that really I think is 

Rich Bennett 4:51
that. 

Rachel 4:51
important to know. 

Wendy Beck 4:53
Um, do you know this story? 

Rich Bennett 4:55
I can't, 

Rachel 4:56
uh, if you. 

I truly do believe like we were brought together to, um, provide safe housing for women in recovery and, um, you know, just help people in general. So, and it was early in my recovery, um, my, one of the board members was trying to get me to go to church and, um, you know, prior to that she would always ask me and I just wasn't ready and then the one time I did actually when you was there. And, um, she introduced me to Wendy and, um, you know, I, I just said, like, if there's anything I can ever do to help, please let me know. And, um, so, you know, we went through the service and at the end I remember Wendy was, like, tapped me on the shoulder and she said she was kind of teary eyed and she said, 'I don't know what's telling me to do this but ever since my daughter passed away, I've worn this bracelet.' And it said one day at a time. And she gave it to me and that just is like, that's a powerful thing. 

Rich Bennett 6:04
Yeah. 

Wendy Beck 6:05
It was like an 

Rich Bennett 6:07
energy 

Rachel 6:08
in the room 

Wendy Beck 6:09
and I don't go to church that much, but like, we were 

Rachel 6:11
either. 

Wendy Beck 6:13
were there for a reason and we connected. And, uh, she said, you know, anything I can do and at that time rage was, 

Rich Bennett 6:22
We 

Wendy Beck 6:22
rage was, you know, early and it's 

Rachel 6:25
just, mm-hmm. 

Wendy Beck 6:25
And we were having, uh, I think a run, um, we had run, like a run before we had our houses to just raise funds to, to start our mission. And I said, well, you know, I just got a bunch of shirts that we're going to sell. Do you want to come over and organize them for me? And she literally showed up and she sat there and she folded on and she put them in all the different size categories and we've been best buds ever 

Rachel 6:49
Yeah. 

Wendy Beck 6:50
since. 

Rachel 6:50
And, you know, I volunteered for a while, um, you know, I had a full time job at another house, just kind of transporting the girls back and forth. 

Rich Bennett 7:00
Right. 

Wendy Beck 7:02
We 

Rachel 7:02
wanted to open, we talked about opening a house, you 

Wendy Beck 7:05
it 

Rachel 7:05
know, 

Wendy Beck 7:05
was very pushy. She does. I'm 

Rich Bennett 7:06
a 

Wendy Beck 7:07
more of 

Rich Bennett 7:08
dally, 

Wendy Beck 7:09
or like I'm like, okay, we can do She's like, what are you going to do this now? 

Rachel 7:13
Yeah, we're doing, we're doing this, 

Rich Bennett 7:17
we're doing this. 

Wendy Beck 7:17
Um, 

Rachel 7:18
and so we, we talked about opening our first house and I remember you, you, I remember when you found the house and you were like, I found this house. It's perfect. And, you know, here we are. And I remember telling her, I was like, I don't think I can do both of these things at the same time. It's just a lot, you know. And, um, so she hired me on first. 

Wendy Beck 7:42
I hired her before I was an employee. 

Rich Bennett 7:44
Right. 

Rachel 7:44
First full time employee 

Wendy Beck 7:46
terrified. It's going to work, but we're going to figure it out. 

Rachel 7:49
And, um, you know, we opened our first house and, you know, I mean, I didn't know what I was doing. I've never, I've never ran a house out. I'm in recovery, right. 

Rich Bennett 8:01
Right. 

Rachel 8:02
I knew I knew some things 

Wendy Beck 8:04
that, 

Rachel 8:04
about 

Wendy Beck 8:04
but, 

Rachel 8:06
you know, we came together and we got the rules together and we, you know, got all the supplies and I remember people came over and volunteered and helped us put things together and get the house ready and, you know, here we are and we open and we had our first couple residents. 

Wendy Beck 8:21
And that was in 2018. 

Rachel 8:24
And, um, 

Rich Bennett 8:25
wait, wait, you've only been with home since 2018. Wow. 

Wendy Beck 8:30
first four years was just kind of like 

Rich Bennett 8:32
The 

Wendy Beck 8:33
just getting everything together like, you know, just the basic, you know, business stuff because I worked a full 

Rich Bennett 8:39
too. 

Wendy Beck 8:39
time job 

Rich Bennett 8:39
Oh, I know, I remember 

Wendy Beck 8:41
legal for 23 years. 

Rachel 8:45
I 

Wendy Beck 8:45
was just kind of, you know, trying to figure out how to do this and, you know, do my job. And so she was now running the house. And I was, you know, like I do now, like paying the bills and we were working on fundraising and we, we really just, I think at that time in 2000 between 2014 and 2018 when it was a very, very trying time in our community because everyone was dying. We had the county would have signs um, up about the overdoses, and the numbers were going up, honestly, daily. And unfortunately we knew a lot of people because it was our community. So we didn't have any trouble getting people into the houses. 

Even through COVID. 

Rachel 9:41
And in the past I was also in a stirba living house and I remember my experience house. 

Rich Bennett 9:48
there. Right. 

Rachel 9:49
And it helped me but it also wasn't like the best experience. Um, 

Wendy Beck 9:56
This 

Rachel 9:56
this, the 

Wendy Beck 9:56
is the 

Rachel 9:56
house wasn't really ran to my, you know, for my opinion, like properly. 

Rich Bennett 10:02
Yeah. 

Rachel 10:03
Um, and so when, you know, we started this, it was just like, I want to run this house. You know, I want to, I want to have a good house. Like I want these people to feel good. I want them to feel welcome. I want them to feel love because like when we come in, we're so broken, you know, we don't even know what is right. 

Wendy Beck 10:22
You want to 

Rich Bennett 10:22
come in and make them feel 

Rachel 10:25
yes. In 

Wendy Beck 10:27
our houses are like homes. 

Rachel 10:28
They are. 

Wendy Beck 10:29
took things from our own families and we furnished 

Rich Bennett 10:32
Yeah, 

Wendy Beck 10:32
it, you know, we didn't have the money to go buy new stuff. We like literally, we're decorating with our own stuff. 

Rachel 10:39
yeah, 

Wendy Beck 10:39
And 

Rachel 10:40
yeah, 

Wendy Beck 10:40
so people would come in and they were like, wow, this is just so different. It was clean. You know, they're, you know decorated and it just felt like women need to feel like their home is their sanctuary. 

Rich Bennett 10:53
Yeah, 

Wendy Beck 10:53
I mean, I, I believe. And and that's what we were trying to create 

Rich Bennett 10:58
you did. 

Rachel 10:58
Yes, it probably would be up close to the cleanest home. Around. They 

Wendy Beck 11:04
Yes. 

Rachel 11:05
clean every day. You know, it cleans something every day. So, you know, the program is, is a structure program. And, you know, they come from all over. They come from treatment, they come from crisis centers, hospitals, the streets, you know, depending on the 

Wendy Beck 11:23
jail. 

Rachel 11:23
And jail, 

Rich Bennett 11:24
Yeah, 

Rachel 11:25
you know, all walks, 

Wendy Beck 11:26
court. 

Rachel 11:27
all walks of life. you know, we have to start somewhere, right, so we start here 

Wendy Beck 11:34
And, 

Rachel 11:34
and try to teach them how to live again, like how to have a routine, how to have responsibility, how to be accountable, how to be, you know, an independent woman. And, you know, learn to live without drugs and alcohol. So, you know, they come in, they're, they're on a 30 day blackout, but what that means exactly is like they're not just sitting there for 30 days doing nothing. 30 

Rich Bennett 12:00
Right. 

Rachel 12:01
days is open to them finding jobs, going on interviews, setting up appointments. Like I know for myself, like, I didn't 

Wendy Beck 12:11
see a doctor for 

Rachel 12:12
a couple of years. You know, I just didn't care about a lot of 

Rich Bennett 12:15
things. Right. I 

Rachel 12:16
was using. So, like, we encourage them to set up appointments, you know, get their, get their mental health back in order if they need to see a therapist or a psychiatrist. So, it's, it's then setting up like, you know, kind of learning. 

Wendy Beck 12:31
how to 

Rachel 12:31
Well, 

Wendy Beck 12:31
take care of themselves. 

Rachel 12:33
What are my next steps? So, and everyone kind of dreads the 30 day blackout, but it's really to like kind of sit back and like sit with yourself a little bit, you know, just kind of reflect. Like, where have I been, 

Rich Bennett 12:46
find out who you are. 

Rachel 12:47
This past five 

Rich Bennett 12:49
years, yeah, 

Rachel 12:49
10 years or whatever, you know, so, and then, you know, part of the program is getting acclimated with the community, the recovery community. So, we promote 12 step fellowship. And they have to obtain a sponsor, obtain a home group, which is something that's through the 12 step fellowship, you know, it's a, it's a, it's a meeting that you go to once a week that you know that you're going to be there and that you can like get a job in like a simple job. Like brewing the coffee, opening the door, giving, giving hugs, like making people feel welcome. So, and then they have to, you know, be an active member in 12 step fellowship. So, we have stepwork 12 steps, and they have to work to 12 steps. So, 

Wendy Beck 13:40
of 

Rachel 13:40
that is kind 

Wendy Beck 13:41
like 

Rachel 13:42
where we start. 

Wendy Beck 13:42
you know and just just listening to you I mean it sounds like a lot 

Rachel 13:46
That's 

Wendy Beck 13:46
but it's really not 

Rich Bennett 13:47
not. 

Wendy Beck 13:47
you know it's really not you get up you do your tour you have a time frame to do it and then most of the time after they get through that 30 30 day blackout you know they find a job and they're out in the world and they can come and go and say please as long as they're in by curfew and they're just following the 

Rich Bennett 14:05
roles but they're also seeing that they can do stuff on their own as well it's helping with their mental health as well 

Wendy Beck 14:13
and we're we're constantly 

Rich Bennett 14:15
it's therapy it's therapy in a lot of times probably don't realize 

Rachel 14:19
it's right exactly it's a therapy 

Rich Bennett 14:21
about 

Wendy Beck 14:22
and we're expanding our program in ways like not to interrupt you but like we started out with like during that first 30 days we're like you know we want them to get to know themselves they want them to get to know the people in the house we want them to get to know the rage community and then we want them to reflect back so that first 30 days isn't just oh you're on blackout you can't do anything it's a time for you to you know really just learn who you are and recently we're trying to add you know more workshops for the ladies they do yoga and help me out what what have we 

Rachel 14:57
right 

Wendy Beck 14:57
been doing lately we've been doing a lot of stuff financial workshops 

Rich Bennett 15:00
meditation 

Rachel 15:01
meditation they had they had a they had a sound bath 

Rich Bennett 15:06
oh who did that Emily 

Rachel 15:07
and they they yeah 

Wendy Beck 15:07
yeah okay 

Rich Bennett 15:08
yeah 

Wendy Beck 15:08
and goat yoga 

Rachel 15:09
yep 

Rich Bennett 15:10
I 

Rachel 15:10
goat 

Rich Bennett 15:10
want to do that know 

Wendy Beck 15:13
and 

Rich Bennett 15:13
just 

Wendy Beck 15:13
you 

Rich Bennett 15:13
watch yourself the other day I saw that 

Wendy Beck 15:15
are begrudgingly going through it you know like they they don't think this maybe this isn't their thing but they all love it when they come out 

Rich Bennett 15:22
on yeah 

Wendy Beck 15:23
yeah it's just 

Rachel 15:24
budgeting we do budgeting classes we're having a occupational person come in 

Wendy Beck 15:28
talk about resumes and 

Rachel 15:29
and 

Wendy Beck 15:30
practice interviews type of thing yeah so we're really with the recent award of a grant that we got in the county we have decided to expand our program and in that program we're adding the eight dimensions of wellness and 

Rich Bennett 15:45
yeah 

Wendy Beck 15:46
so they will you know learn a little bit about that throughout the year that they're there we also have tried to you know kind of put an end date where our ladies don't have to leave at a certain time but we're trying to like put a year to 18 months because that seems that seems about when they're ready to to fly the coop 

Rachel 16:06
yep 

Rich Bennett 16:07
so what other kind of programs you want to get in there 

Wendy Beck 16:11
well I mean eight dimensions are you know emotional physical spiritual spiritual occupational environmental anything like there's I probably can't say I'm all right off the top of my head but that was close yeah we're we're working through that and so every month they'll have a workshop that'll protect dimensions and then we are doing a little bit more tracking so we can kind of like get their feedback 

Rich Bennett 16:40
those 

Wendy Beck 16:40
we want to know how they feel about this and and they don't always want to do it but they they are very appreciative once they they do 

Rachel 16:48
you know so and and throughout their time there you know they they find a job right they start working they start realizing like oh well here this is kind of like reality this is life you know like I don't keep them in a bubble you know 

Rich Bennett 17:02
right 

Rachel 17:02
they kind of like I allow them to either fall on their own right which we do time to time so I give them that like time to either stand up on their own two feet or fall you know and it shows you could have a person come in and change their like dramatically from 

Wendy Beck 17:25
like 

Rachel 17:25
the jump 

Wendy Beck 17:26
we 

Rachel 17:26
like 

Rich Bennett 17:27
yeah 

Rachel 17:27
right 

Wendy Beck 17:27
so 

Rachel 17:28
and then you have people that come in that aren't so you know driven to stay clean or change or anything you know above that matter so it's it's it's an heaven 

Wendy Beck 17:40
well 

Rachel 17:40
flow like 

Wendy Beck 17:41
but it's interesting because we were talking about this the other day two days ago one day ago whatever and you know because we have um a good reputation within our community um people tend to want to come 

Rachel 17:55
our 

Wendy Beck 17:56
to so we have a weightless so it's not just anybody can come at any time and then when we have women that are there and they're not ready and they leave they're calling her back and saying I'm 

Rich Bennett 18:08
I should not yeah 

Wendy Beck 18:09
I should not have 

Rich Bennett 18:10
I 

Wendy Beck 18:10
left 

Rich Bennett 18:10
was going to ask you to have any of actually come back 

Wendy Beck 18:13
a lot 

Rachel 18:14
yeah yeah well 

Wendy Beck 18:17
I 

Rachel 18:17
and 

Wendy Beck 18:17
don't want to say a lot but 

Rachel 18:18
I mean a good bit, you know, that either they relapse or they're in a difficult situation, you know, we've welcomed people back and, you know, we're just, We're here to help people, we're here to, you know, try to teach them different ways of living, you know, get their mental health in order, like there's just so many walks in addiction, 

Rich Bennett 18:39
yeah. 

Rachel 18:39
I mean, we really can't, you know, really can't say where it comes from what. But you know, it's, it's, um, it's very eye-opening and it really does, like, I, I always tell Wendy, I feel like I don't have a job. I feel like this, like, it doesn't feel 

Wendy Beck 18:55
>> But 

Rachel 18:55
like a- 

Wendy Beck 18:55
I need to find something more for her to do. 

Rachel 18:57
>> I feel, I feel like it's like a, it's not like your typical nine to five, you know, like it, 

Wendy Beck 19:02
no, 

Rachel 19:02
>> It's 

Wendy Beck 19:02
not at all. 

Rachel 19:03
all over. It could be 24 hours a day. It really just 

Wendy Beck 19:06
know. 

Rachel 19:06
depends, you 

Rich Bennett 19:06
>> Right. 

Wendy Beck 19:07
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. She'll call me and she'll be like, last night I had to go over and have a house meeting, you know, like you should have told me she's like, it just happened. And so, yeah, so the dedication is definitely there. And, um, and that's one of the reasons that we wanted to have, like this kind of, um, podcasts as two people could understand addiction coming from the inside, 

Rich Bennett 19:27
Yeah. 

Wendy Beck 19:27
coming from, you know, the belly of the beast. You know, what? These are human beings. These are women that 

Rachel 19:33
children 

Wendy Beck 19:33
have and families and that are broken and that they're lost and they're so easily tossed aside. And we just, you know, when you have a safe place, and this is something that we have really kind of made our mantra in the past couple years that healing begins with safe housing. It, you have to get to a place where you feel safe before you can start healing. 

Rich Bennett 20:00
>> Mm-hmm. 

We've had a lot of people want to have gone through the house. But, uh, 

Rachel 20:08
have 

Rich Bennett 20:10
to use any names, can you? Can you, can you share a feel good story of someone you know that 

Rachel 20:17
it's 

Rich Bennett 20:19
helped? 

Rachel 20:19
>> Yes. 

Wendy Beck 20:22
There's a lot. 

Rich Bennett 20:23
>> I 

Rachel 20:23
>> There is. 

Rich Bennett 20:23
know. It's 

Rachel 20:24
the one that really sticks out to me is, you know, a board member of ours. 

Wendy Beck 20:30
>> Okay, 

Rachel 20:30
>> 

Wendy Beck 20:31
okay. 

Rachel 20:31
You know, she came in, she's from the area, 

Wendy Beck 20:35
resident. She 

Rachel 20:36
yeah, 

Wendy Beck 20:37
was our 

Rachel 20:37
third 

Wendy Beck 20:37
third resident. 

Rachel 20:39
And she was there for maybe a month or so and her brother passed away from an overdose. 

Rich Bennett 20:45
>> Oh, shit. 

Rachel 20:46
>> And she, she managed to stay clean throughout that, you 

Rich Bennett 20:52
>> 

Rachel 20:52
know, 

Rich Bennett 20:52
Right. 

Rachel 20:53
>> Both of her brothers passed away from addiction. 

Rich Bennett 20:55
>> Damn. 

Rachel 20:55
>> And, you know, she's, I think she's one of four. >> And, you know, she made, she survived. She survived that, you know, and she was in our house and she became house manager. >> And she moved out on her own. She had a son and she didn't have custody of the son at that time and she fought very hard to get full custody back. >> And she started working in treatment. She had worked at a few treatment centers, but maybe like one or two and then she went to school, 

Wendy Beck 21:40
graduated. 

Rachel 21:40
>> And she graduated? >> And 

Wendy Beck 21:43
college, not just, 

Rachel 21:44
yeah. 

Rich Bennett 21:44
>> Oh, wow. 

Wendy Beck 21:45
>> Yeah. 

Rachel 21:45
And she's on our board and she's still thriving to this day. I mean. 

Rich Bennett 21:49
>> Awesome. 

Rachel 21:49
>> You know, there's lots of stories, 

Rich Bennett 21:51
>> 

Rachel 21:51
but. 

Rich Bennett 21:51
Yeah, I know. 

Rachel 21:52
>> Especially from the beginning, it's just 

Wendy Beck 21:54
>> 

Rachel 21:54
like. 

Wendy Beck 21:55
Yeah, she's, yeah, number three, but walking through the door, but she has been with us since 

Rachel 22:01
>> It's a 

Wendy Beck 22:01
then. 

Rachel 22:01
lot of trials and tribulation. 

Wendy Beck 22:02
>> 2018, and we do have a very strong alumni and you can kind of explain a little bit what the alumni does 

Rachel 22:08
>> Yeah, 

Wendy Beck 22:09
for the 

Rachel 22:09
so it's women that have been through our program that are still cleaning 

Rich Bennett 22:13
world. 

Rachel 22:13
servers 

Rich Bennett 22:13
>> Right. 

Rachel 22:14
today. And month, well, one thing, every month we have an alumni meeting. Where an alumni comes in and shares their story with all the girls at the house. And I think that's really cool to do just to see that like, hey, you know, I was here, you know, and that I made it 

Rich Bennett 22:32
every 

Rachel 22:33
through. And then so can you, and then just get connected more in the community. But, you know, they, they do show up and they volunteer for our fundraisers. They come and give some of the girls rides here and there. So they're a crucial part of the program, you know, it just goes to show that like, it's possible if you put your mind, set your mind to it and, you know. 

Rich Bennett 22:56
>> Something that you mentioned fundraisers and something that a lot of the listeners may not realize. >> The reason funds 

Wendy Beck 23:05
is hard. >> It's so 

Rich Bennett 23:06
Oh, well, well, you know, yeah, 

Rachel 23:06
hard. >> It's very hard. 

Rich Bennett 23:07
so which is one of the reasons we are doing the, the, the podathon, but there's also what the monthly donation thing 

Wendy Beck 23:15
well 

Rich Bennett 23:15
that people, 

Wendy Beck 23:16
there's a lot of ways that you can donate and if you want me to kind of, 

Rich Bennett 23:19
well, yeah that's right, blow it off. 

Wendy Beck 23:36
And, you know, I have a donor and she donates five dollars every single month and she's been doing it for years and just being able to do that and, you know, how much waste, you know, we throw away the stuff in our refrigerator that costs more than that and it just, it's, it's part of my We throw away the stuff in our refrigerator 

Rich Bennett 23:58
we 

Wendy Beck 23:58
that cost more than that and it just, it's, it's part of the big picture. We have, have other donors that are 25 dollars a month, we have sponsorships, we're, we're always looking for corporate sponsors, you can make a one time donation, we have so many different opportunities to donate and we, we desperately appreciate it and need it to continue to do what we're doing. 

Rich Bennett 24:24
Well, go 

Rachel 24:25
Oh, 

Rich Bennett 24:25
ahead. 

Rachel 24:25
I'm sorry. I was going to, I was going to kind of talk about what like what the donations go towards. 

Wendy Beck 24:31
Yes. 

Rachel 24:31
And in the 

Rich Bennett 24:33
housing. That's a great 

Rachel 24:34
the housing especially, 

Wendy Beck 24:36
idea. 

Rachel 24:36
but, 

Wendy Beck 24:36
Yeah. And 

Rachel 24:37
you know, we we, we, your analysis and that is a test, a drug test that we give the girls to make sure that, you know, that they're not using and it is it is a huge part of the program because we want to keep the house safe and keep these ladies safe and, you know, that those things are very expensive. 

Rich Bennett 25:00
we 

Rachel 25:00
I mean, you know, it's, it's like close to a thousand dollars for a box, you know, a box of four of them. So, 

Rich Bennett 25:06
do 

Wendy Beck 25:07
well, no, it's when we get a batch, 

Rachel 25:09
well, right 

Wendy Beck 25:10
for each house. 

Rachel 25:11
Yeah. 

Wendy Beck 25:11
The batch of a thousand, I don't wanna, you know, say it wrong. But yeah, so we 

Rachel 25:15
money. 

Wendy Beck 25:15
spend a 

Rachel 25:15
It's 

Wendy Beck 25:15
lot of, 

Rachel 25:16
expensive. 

Wendy Beck 25:16
we spend 

Rachel 25:16
It's 

Wendy Beck 25:16
a lot of 

Rachel 25:17
expensive. You know, and just sheets and towels and 

Wendy Beck 25:23
and a 

Rich Bennett 25:23
gas 

Wendy Beck 25:23
lector. 

Rachel 25:23
Yes, water 

Rich Bennett 25:25
rent 

Wendy Beck 25:25
rent. 

Rachel 25:27
Why buy. 

Wendy Beck 25:27
Why buy replacement 

Rachel 25:29
trash 

Wendy Beck 25:29
items. 

Rich Bennett 25:29
People don't 

Rachel 25:30
want to care. 

Rich Bennett 25:31
Yeah, 

Wendy Beck 25:31
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 25:32
it's 

Wendy Beck 25:33
Snow 

Rich Bennett 25:33
expensive. 

Wendy Beck 25:34
removal. And 

Rachel 25:34
Yup. 

Wendy Beck 25:35
like, you know, we are, it doesn't just appear, the money to take care of it doesn't just appear. It's the hard work that we do behind the scenes, we try to have as many fundraisers locally. We have online fundraisers coming up. We have a recovery month bingo, which is for our local supporters. We have an online pampered chef where pampered chef will donate double donations in August in honor of overdose awareness month. We do a Christmas kids fundraiser, which is a local restaurant fundraiser, where that's another program where we, what's another arm to our daughter's house program, where we like to provide something that the children of the ladies and our houses and people in our community that we've helped something that they want, need where and read at Christmas time. So that's, that's a big deal. And you know, the list just goes on and on and on. But it's it's so rewarding and we can't do it without the support of the community, at all. 

Rich Bennett 26:37
No, that's what it's all those of you listening go to rage against addiction, dot org 

Wendy Beck 26:42
dot org. 

Rich Bennett 26:43
And make sure you donate volunteer your time to cause you're always looking for volunteers for the memory walk and run. Right. 

Wendy Beck 26:50
We have an annual memory walk recovery run 

Rachel 26:53
10th year this year, it's a big 

Wendy Beck 26:55
So 

Rachel 26:55
one. 

Wendy Beck 26:56
anybody that, you know, knows jelly roll Rachel wants him to speak at the event. So I'm throwing it out into the universe. 

Rachel 27:06
We really think it would be amazing for someone like him to come and speak about his journey and bring people together for our community. 

Wendy Beck 27:17
Well, and one of the reasons, you know, we have the memory walk every year in April. And that's our big fundraiser. And then over the past, I don't know, four years we've had our fall bingo. And we do, you know, place these small fundraisers throughout the year, but it's a lot of work. So when we have that big fundraiser, that's when we're looking for our big corporate donors, our sponsorships, our local people that are invested in the community because I'm going to be honest with you, you have to invest in your community because if you do not invest in recovery, you are basically investing in active addiction. 

Rich Bennett 27:58
Yeah. jelly roll. 

Rachel 28:02
say 

Wendy Beck 28:03
We'll 

Rachel 28:05
or Mike, the situation from Jersey Shore, he has a very powerful story a two people I've like really thought about, but you 

Rich Bennett 28:13
to. 

Rachel 28:13
know, 

Rich Bennett 28:13
There's 

Rachel 28:14
hard to reach. 

Wendy Beck 28:14
If anybody knows anybody that would be an asset to our memory walk recovery run that could get some more walkers and runners to show up to fund our program, we would appreciate it. 

All right, Rich has got smoke coming out of 

Rachel 28:35
it. 

Wendy Beck 28:38
So yeah, that I think that, you know, this is something that we wish that we will continue to do as, you know, for our careers because it's a calling it's something near and dear to our heart. We just 

Rachel 28:54
keep 

Wendy Beck 28:55
spreading the 

Rachel 28:55
growing, 

Wendy Beck 28:56
news of recovery 

Rich Bennett 28:58
to everyone and explain to everybody when he, because when I first met you, you were still working. Explain to everybody why you finally decided to leave your job. 

Wendy Beck 29:12
Wow, that was hard. Well, I was working a full time job and then the role that I was doing with rage was becoming a full time jobs. I was working so, so much and Rachel and her persistence was like, we need to open another house, so we opened the second house during COVID. And I think I was still working at that time and then we had an opportunity for our third house and I was just like, I just am not going to be able to continue the way I am. So, I just took that leap of faith and I was 

Rachel 29:47
terrified 

Wendy Beck 29:48
because having running a nonprofit is basically 

Rich Bennett 29:51
business. 

Wendy Beck 29:51
running your own It is a 

Rich Bennett 29:53
lot 

Wendy Beck 29:53
business. 

Rich Bennett 29:53
of people 

Wendy Beck 29:54
A 

Rich Bennett 29:54
know what I 

Wendy Beck 29:54
It's 

Rich Bennett 29:54
said. 

Wendy Beck 29:56
100% a business and so, you know, we did it and it's working 

Rachel 30:02
and 

Wendy Beck 30:02
now we have, we also have someone that helps us, Mia, everyone, Mia, that has listened to our podcast, does our newsletter and helps with communications. And then we've also been pulling in some of our ladies at our houses to help. They have really started to step up and see the impact that we're having and want to jump on board. 

Rich Bennett 30:26
And the thing is with what you guys have, especially you with your age, you basically set the blueprint 

Rachel 30:33
house. 

Rich Bennett 30:33
blueprint for the I think that and if you haven't gotten it yet, I think you'll get calls from people elsewhere, maybe other states and all as guidance to find out how, like if they want to set their own up as well. 

Wendy Beck 30:49
We have we have been toward other houses, local and stuff like that, they will, yeah. 

Rachel 30:57
But 

Wendy Beck 30:58
again, it's, you know, I'm not going to say anybody can run a sober living house because I truly believe that that is not true. But, you know, Rachel, like I said before, like she treats everyone with respect and as though they're family and, you know, the ladies, when they come in, they get something different than they've experienced. Before we always tell them, you know, you know, I mean, come on, sometimes it's a little bit rough, you know, people, you've got, you know, eight women living in the same house, they're all sick, they're all going through stuff. And you know, she wants to throw it out there immediately that, you know, we're going to give them a shot. 

Rich Bennett 31:38
Yeah, 

Wendy Beck 31:39
just like you were given a shot and we also say, you know, when they come in here, you teach them our rules, they don't come in and change how, how we 

Rachel 31:48
stuff. 

Wendy Beck 31:48
run 

Rachel 31:48
And

Wendy Beck 31:49
I think that that is where we're different. 

Rich & Wendy 31:53
Wendy, I understand that rage against addiction is doing something very important, a monthly donor program. Can you tell us a little bit about that? Absolutely. We are hoping to get our supporters to join us in providing a monthly donation. It can be $5 or it can be more. Whatever you can afford really allows us to help plan and increase our fundraising efforts. Well, why should people become a monthly donor? What are they doing to help? Their monthly contributions let us plan for long-term projects and respond quickly when urgent needs arise. And I'll give you an example. We had the need for a new mattress. And we've also had urgent needs for refrigerators and washing machines, and all of that kind of stuff that comes up. So they tend to need to be replaced, and our women deserve to have the things that they need. So with the monthly donor program, technically anybody can do it for any amount. And because rage against addiction always needs something. I'm known for years now, and theirs times you've told me you guys need a furniture, you need clothes. And also, you're not getting the grants that you use to or the contributions that you use to. So this monthly donor program will definitely help a lot. So somebody becomes a monthly donor. What is there anything that they're getting in return? besides Besides of course helping those that need it. I know you guys have an excellent newsletter. Would they automatically subscribe to We'll subscribe to our newsletter so you'll know what's going on, you can track our progress. Here's success stories, know the data, and how many women we serve each year, and just be a part of something bigger. So with this I guess they're also going to be because of the newsletter. They're going to be one of the first ones to find out about events coming up like the memory walk and run. The basket bingo and any other future events that you're doing, the podcast that you do. So they're going to be tied in right away. So how can they become a monthly donor? You can go to our website and that is rage against addiction. org and go to our donate button. And on there you will have the option to become a monthly donor and you can put in any amount that you want. Your commitment, bigger small, empowers our mission and changes lives every single day. Visit us at rage against addiction. org to become a reoccurring donor and join us in making a lasting impact. Thank you for your compassion, generosity, and belief in a brighter future. Together we can make a difference. Join us today.