Mother, Daughter Seek To Help Addicts For Christmas
Mother, Daughter Seek To Help Addicts For Christmas
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Amanda Bridgman-abridgman@timesuniononline.com
Mother, Daughter Seek To Help Addicts For ChristmasA mother of an addict is hoping to stuff 91 stockings for those seeking sobriety this holiday season.
“God laid it on my heart,” Sarah Lockridge said of her newest mission to help.
Lockridge’s daughter, Dreanna Yoder, is a recovering heroin addict and the two of them want to show some love to those who may not be feeling it during the holidays.
“At first it was, ‘Let’s just do stockings and show them some love,’” Lockridge said. But then she got talking to Yoder – who at one time was homeless during her drug addiction – and they recalled how Yoder didn’t even have a pair of shoes when she came home. Yoder also told her mom about a Warsaw person fighting to stay sober who doesn’t have a coat or shoes and walks to and from her factory job every day.
That’s when their idea of stuffing stockings turned into trying to raise $10,000 by Dec. 1.
The “91” number comes from the maximum amount of spaces for recovering addicts at the men’s Serenity homes, the women’s Serenity home, True Purpose Ministries, All Things New and both of the Rose Garden Homes, Lockridge said.
She reached out to A Bridge To Hope Executive Director Kevin Haines who loved the idea, she said, and agreed to help by collecting the funds.
Yoder created a Facebook donation campaign called Save Our Sobriety (SOS). Anyone wanting to donate can search SOS in Facebook. The $10,000 goal will be able to provide $100 Big R gift cards to each of the 91 individuals to buy a coat or underwear or whatever they may need, Lockridge said. People also can donate cash, check, items or gift cards to Haines at A Bridge To Hope marked SOS, she said.
“We will make sure the money is spent strictly on the needs,” she said. “People won’t get cash or the gift cards. I want to make sure the money is spent on these people.”?
The items Lockridge is looking to fill the stockings with include hairbrush, comb, toothbrush, toothpaste, hair detangler, candy/gum, footies, gloves, nail kit, shampoo, body wash, lotion, bandages, triple antibiotic ointment, reading glasses, hot cocoa, feminine hygiene products, maybe a pair of pants and a free hair cut.
“People feel good when they get a hair cut,” Lockridge said. “I have Crystal from Barlon helping with hair cuts, but I need a few others. I don’t want to overwhelm her with 91 cuts, and also, some people receiving the free cuts are on house arrest and unable to leave their homes. I need some barbers with travel licenses.”
Other mothers of addicted children are helping with the shopping and distribution of the items.
“My hope is to get the entire community involved. I feel this will bring awareness to substance use disorder and further help end the stigma,” Lockridge said.
“Many individuals who live in sober living have exhausted all other avenues of help. Many do not have support from family and friends. I thought if we could help them with just a few items, it will not only help them physically, but maybe bring them hope. Hope that our community supports their sobriety. My daughter has been able to stay in recovery not only because of what she has done, but because our community has supported her so much,” Lockridge said.
Lockridge can be contacted through a private message on Facebook. The Dec. 1 deadline goal is to be able to distribute items by Christmas.
If Lockridge is able to reach over her $10,000 goal, or if there is any money left over, she plans to give a scholarship to help those whose rent is behind.
“If, for some reason, I raise some crazy amount, I want to set up a scholarship at A Bridge To Hope for anyone needing rehab,”?she said. “That’s of course a wish, but a girl can always dream.”
