Addiction Journal

Call me Guarded

There is a love affair blooming in the Boston Recovery Community with a non profit group called Project Purple.

I was unfamiliar with PROJECT PURPLE and began some online research regarding what the organization stands for and if they give back to the recovery community. Call me GAURDED but when I begin to see politicians and parents flocking in droves to any org I need to investigate as I have been burned before. I wanted to proceed a bit more cautiously prior to drinking the “PURPLE KOOL AID” I was glad to read that Mr. Herren’s Non Profit is providing funding back to recovery. http://www.theherrenproject.org/programs/

More of The Chris Herren story is found here :http://bleacherreport.com/articles/921398-chris-herren-unguarded-tells-a-story-of-what-could-have-been

The non profit’s mission statement reads;

The mission of The Herren Project is to provide assistance in taking the first steps toward recovery and a life of sobriety, including effective treatment, educational programs and resources to increase awareness on the signs of addiction and bring hope for a better tomorrow.

Goals
*Positively impact the lives of those suffering with addiction, specifically the uninsured, by providing them with effective treatment programs, support and the necessary tools to be successful on their road to sobriety.
*Educate youth and at-risk populations on the importance of a healthy lifestyle and provide techniques to handle pressure within their lives, their community or their family situation.
*Provide scholarships to programs, clinics and camps to increase self confidence, motivation and develop a firm foundation on which to build success.

I hope a percentage of money raised from speaking engagements and t-shirt sales is marked to fund recovery beds/programs for those families with financial issues. Having a child that needs a recovery program that is unaffordable is a cross the weighs heavy on a parent’s heart.

Project Purple’s raising of awareness is one piece in the puzzle and sadly there is much work to be done. It is my hope that other groups and individuals step up and begin to offer scholarships with the funds they raise.

It is refreshing to see that the Project Purple group is not funded or “PARTNERING” with the pharmaceuticals that often lay in the weedy background of recovery. Those groups that “sell the knife yet offer parents a band aid” are becoming far too prevalent in the business of recovery. That is a TEAM that I’m glad to see his project not be a PLAYER on.

I will always remain guarded prior to embracing groups or individuals that don the cape of recovery. I have learned to research first as “all is not what it seems”.

Mr. Herren I wish you well on your continued recovery and project. If you are not funding scholarships to recovery, I hope you begin to consider helping those disadvantaged families.

Peace and Strength

Tagged with: project purple boston

Categorised as: Addiction in the News