News and Upcoming Events

Our monthly Reunions, which we began in November of 2013, continue to be a successful and much enjoyed part of our program. The participants share stories, prayer, food and encouragement as they describe the impact of the retreats and recovery on their lives. Please contact Jane Elliott for further information on the ISP program.

Our Retreat Reunions of the Ignatian Spirituality Project take place on the second Sunday of every month at the Shrine from 1-3 PM.

Six of our good friends have distinguished themselves as leaders in providing peer-based recovery support. William "Kaz" Pulliam and Anthony Lindsey have been trained and certified by the Georgia Council on Substance Abuse as CARES (Certified Addiction Recovery Empowerment Specialists). Kaz has been offering his wisdom and inspiration at Cause for Hope almost since we began, and he continues to do so. Anthony is currently an Alcohol and Drug Couselor at Assertive Community Recovery . The mission of Georgia CARES is to promote long-term recovery from substance use disorders by providing experienced peer support and advocating for self-directed care. Bean French, Gino Lloyd and Marcella Grace have successfully trained and been recognized by the state of Georgia as Certified Peer Specialists (CPS). Gino is a dynamic and inspiring leader at Cause for Hope and continues to be a valuable contributor to our program. Bean has been offering his energy and enthusiam almost since we began. Marcella is our first woman to receive this distinction. Certified Peer Specialists serve in a variety of settings and are trained to assist their peers in skills building, goal setting, problem solving, and helping them build their own self-directed recovery tools. The CPS Project is administered through the Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network, which is also responsible for implementing the Double Trouble in Recovery program. Congratulations to Anthony, Marcella, Gino, Bean, Janice, and Kaz!

Janice Cummings has completed the 10-week peer-based education program sponsored by the National Alliance on Mental Illness. NAMI Peer-to-Peer is a recovery-focused educational program providing critical strategies for maintaining wellness in response to mental health challenges.