In honor of Substance Use Disorder Treatment Month, we’re highlighting one of the many stories across Alvis that reflects the strength, resilience, and community found in recovery—this one from our Amethyst program.
This past holiday season, Amethyst women embraced gratitude in ways that were both deeply personal and profoundly generous. They created vibrant wreaths filled with handwritten words of thanks—sobriety, shelter, love, strength, forgiveness, and their children—reminders of both how far they’ve come and the futures they are building.
For Billie Jean, that gratitude inspired action. Last year, she spent Thanksgiving alone with a small meal. This year, she volunteered to lead an effort to cook and distribute 50 hot holiday meals to neighbors experiencing homelessness. Together with co‑chair Mekiah and eight other Amethyst women, she roasted turkeys and ham, prepared sides and pies, packed dinners assembly‑line style, and—despite cold and rainy weather—handed out every meal before returning to the warmth of their apartments.
The impact was immediate and deeply felt. Several women shared that some of the individuals they met could have been them not long ago. They recognized their own past experiences of instability, addiction, and isolation reflected back—and felt profound gratitude for the support, treatment, and community that helped them reclaim their lives.
Their enthusiasm was unmistakable.
“Can we do this for Christmas too?” one woman asked, energized by the joy of giving back.
This is what recovery looks like—healing, purpose, connection, and the rediscovery of one’s own power to make a difference. Substance Use Disorder Treatment Month honors exactly this: the strength it takes to seek help, the courage required to change, and the community that makes long‑term recovery possible.
At Amethyst, every woman’s journey is supported with trauma‑informed treatment, safe housing, compassion, and a sisterhood that lifts one another up. Their stories remind us that with the right support, gratitude grows, hope returns, and giving back becomes not just possible—but joyful.