Grant helps HVAF veterans in recovery
February 2, 2015Veterans succeed at HVAF through employment: More than just landing a job
February 25, 2015A feeling of abandonment leads to life changes
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| Whitney at HVAF |
His exposure to drugs and alcohol intensified. After his service, he attended the American Business College in San Diego, California and received a degree in Automotive Technology. Whitney accepted a job at Allison Transmission in Indianapolis where he worked as skilled assembler for fourteen years before taking a buyout in 1992.
Whitney was able to start his own business, an auto shop, which was a dream, but his struggles with alcoholism and drugs were never far behind. His checking account emptied out. His business closed. Whitney was homeless.
Whitney decided to change his life around with help from HVAF. He learned about HVAF’s Residential, Employment, Substance Abuse Treatment (REST) program. The program’s 12-step recovery curriculum became his last attempt to become clean and sober. He entered the program on July 7, 2014.
“I want to shower my kids with love because I don’t want what happened to me happen to them. I was raised in a dysfunctional family and had a lot of rejection and I didn’t want to feel them and so I self-medicated and made poor choices,” adds Whitney. “I now have a network of people to call when I feel week. At HVAF, I am held accountable with regular weekly meetings. Being clean and sober feels like a fog has been lifted. I no longer remember the reasons why I turned to drugs and alcohol in the first place. It is very important to me to get closer to my kids and regain their trust,” adds Whitney.
Whitney has been clean and sober for two years. He is working with Mark Lykins, a case manager at HVAF, and has secured permanent housing and support through the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program.
