Recently, students in the Pharmacy Technician class at Ross Medical Education Center in Huntsville, Alabama visited local Freedom House to donate blessings bags to the women and boxes for the children. Freedom House is a residential substance abuse rehabilitation facility for women and women with children located in Rogersville, Alabama. The facility provides substance abuse rehabilitation and their goal is to bring the 12 Steps Program used by Alcoholics Anonymous to chemically dependent women. Their staff includes Certified Peer Support Specialists, as well as Clinical Professionals and certified Case Managers delivering a Recovery Oriented System of Care for our clients. Their commitment is to help the chemically dependent woman find the road to responsible freedom from substances and become better women for themselves and their children.
This trip was a huge success! The students received a tour of the facilities and an in depth description of what Freedom House is about. They were also told about what they do for the women and the children in their care. They were given a first-hand visual of what the women do on a day-to-day basis while the kids are at school and while they’re back at home. They follow a strict schedule and are expected to follow a specific set of rules in order to get their lives back on the right track. Some of the women even have jobs outside of Freedom House.
Current Pharmacy Technician student Ayana Varnes shared, “the biggest issue I had while fighting my own addiction was I felt alone. Once I knew that people were behind me supporting me and that people still loved me and cared about my health, I was able to overcome the dependency that I felt.” Letting these women know that they were thinking of them and that they cared about their health is exactly what these students did. In the weeks leading up to the visit, students gathered donated purses and then filled each with hygiene products, healthy snacks, and purse-sized journals to write about their journey. They also filled bags with baby snacks, blankets, bottles, and wipes for those with infants or expecting. The children received boxes filled with healthy treats and coloring books. The Freedom House definitely holds a special place in the heart of the Huntsville Campus and they are already planning their next visit!