According to Trapp, each program participant is provided “with a clean and healthy living environment, good food, work therapy, leisure time activities, group and individual coaching, spiritual direction, and resources to develop life skills and a personal relationship with God as provided by Jesus Christ.” He says for all the negative stories you hear about drug addiction, here is a positive story about recovery that’s taking place in one of the worst areas for this drug epidemic.
Trapp says it’s hoped that with physical and spiritual help, participants will be prepared to re-enter society and find gainful employment. “Many of those who have been rehabilitated are reunited with their families and resume a normal life,” says Trapp. “Since we do not solicit government funding for this program, the Life Recovery program is made possible through the generosity of those local businesses, churches and individuals who donate goods that can be sold in our family thrift stores.”
At the moment, the organization is housing 29 clients. Twelve of those are participating in the Life Recovery Program and the other 10 have jobs and are working.
“We doubled our house ownership in 2015 and since then have tripled in size, and we are now raising funds for a fourth house,” says Trapp. “New Hope Church has donated a house for us to fix up and turn into a Recovery House on Xenia Avenue.”
The organization receives over 300 referrals a year from Woodhaven, Nova House and Access treatment centers.
Services the group can perform for you
Clients do jobs for cash or check donations which range from cleaning out garages and basements to landscaping, tree work, carpentry, and remodeling and painting. They can also recycle scrap and appliances. “We have highly skilled clients in all these fields and it helps them build self-worth and character,” says Trapp. He’s happy to come out to give you a bid on a job.
Here’s what the thrift shop can use:
- Beds (brand new, twin, full and queen)
- Furniture
- Antiques
- Appliances
- Working electronics, newer flat screen TVs, (no older models)
- Gift cards from stores such as Lowes, Home Depot, Menards.
“We can pick up donations big or small and provide tax write-offs with donations,” says Trapp. You can also drop off items at the thrift shop from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. alternate Saturdays. Adventure Thrift Store is located at 1115 E. Third St. in Dayton.
For more information, check out www.thegsm.net or call Shawn Trapp at (513) 816-8089 or the ministry office at (937) 938-5781.
Exciting news for the group
Good Shepherd Ministries has received a grant from a long-term supporter to purchase a bus for its Feed the Streets program, a project that will allow it to stretch further in the community and touch even more lives. “Right now, we provide an average of 150 lunches daily at our 709 Xenia Avenue recovery center in Dayton,” says Trapp. “The bus will allow us to double that number. We are installing a kitchen, a grill, and a canopy where we will pull up in the bus and share our clients’ recovery stories. We will hand out clothing and feed the hungry. But we need community support to make it happen.”
He adds that many of those in recovery have never been out of the state, or even out of the city. “We will also use the bus for sober camping trips and community outings and are planning to take our recovering brothers out west for an annual trip.”
Those who would like to help can donate at www.thegsm.net or 1115 E. Third St., Dayton, Ohio, 45402.
MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Meredith Moss writes about Dayton-area nonprofit organizations and their specific needs. If your group has a wish list it would like to share with our readers, contact Meredith: meredith.moss@coxinc.com.
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