Christine remembers stepping off a Greyhound bus 25 years ago, thinking Eugene looked like “a Norman Rockwell painting.” She hoped Eugene would be a place of comfort; she lived on campus, spent some time at The Rainbow Family Co-Op, and enjoyed going to the Saturday Market. She worked in a variety of jobs including, Sweep Optical, Goodwill, as a custodian, and for several daycare centers.
However, Christine was afflicted by mental illness and admitted to the psychiatric hospital, and soon thereafter became addicted to drugs and alcohol. For years, she lived on and off the streets and bounced between group homes, unable to find the proper support system to fit her needs. She hit rock bottom with her addiction, which she describes as “when you have your last drink and drug, and realize you can’t do it anymore.”
Then, a counselor at a group home recommended ShelterCare. Christine applied to ShelterCare’s Family Treatment center and was welcomed in. She found an apartment through ShelterCare, and has lived there for the last 16 years. She takes her sobriety seriously, and still goes to meetings. She has been able to build a relationship with her child, and reconnect with her passion for life. Christine is an avid knitter, and plans to sell her handmade knits through ETSY and the Saturday Market.