The Miracle Does Happen
A pensive model reflects on the struggles of young, poor families served by GHP FISH. Photo by Sean Bolt via Shutterstock
FISH is scrupulous about protecting the identity of clients, giving them pseudonyms in any public mention. Although our interview subject is fine using her own name in this story, we elected to call her Rachel.
Rachel is a 37-year-old mother of six, who this summer celebrates six years of living clean and sober.
While she tenaciously fought — and still fights daily — for her recovery from drug addiction, Rachel gives a big chunk of credit to GHP FISH, where she found her miracle.
Rachel said that several years ago while she was still using opiates, she was at the GHP FISH Food Bank and wandered into an area stocked with books.
“That’s where I first found Narcotics Anonymous publications,” she said in an interview. “They gave me the first desire to get clean. I found a sponsor real soon and started working the steps.”
It’s not been easy, as many know, and sometimes there’s a powerful temptation to quit the struggle and take up old habits.
“There’s a saying, ‘don’t give up before the miracle happens,’” Rachel said. “And the miracle does happen.”
She calls herself a local girl, having grown up in the area and graduated from Peninsula High School. She lived here as an adult, made some moves far away and returned several years ago.
Rachel became a GHP FISH client well before the food bank moved into its spacious present home. All those years, it has helped her care for her family — and herself.
“I feel so blessed by this place,” she said. She sighed. “I don’t know how I’d get along without you.”
She shops for fruits, vegetables and protein for her family — a significant other, his parents, and her four youngest kids, ranging from 1-1/2 years old to 14. Her two oldest, 17 and 18, see her for visits.
Nothing comes easily — physically, financially, emotionally.
Rachel is fighting the array of medical problems that led to drug use in the first place, and tries to keep her spirits up despite recent battles with infections and a deteriorating spine. Another family member suffers from a congenital heart defect that has resulted in multiple surgeries.
Last December brought more financial trauma – a county-mandated $900 inspection of the family’s septic system seemed all but insurmountable, and on top of that the car needed expensive repairs.
“We take care of our necessaries,” she said. “We have to.”
And they did, but then there was no money left.
Enter GHP FISH and its annual December toy drive.
“If it hadn’t been for FISH, we wouldn’t have had a Christmas,” she said. “It was the first time I’ve had all (my kids) together, and this was such a big thing for us.”
Rachel smiles with gratitude, just thinking about it.
She lives her gratitude as she tries to help FISH in her own way.
“I try to give back,” she said. “Some of my (housecleaning) clients are downsizing to go into senior housing, and they have things to donate. I always try to bring them here.”
Rachel has found lots of clothes for her children in the free “boutique” available after food visits. When growth spurts soon make those clothes too small, she washes them and brings them back so they can serve another family.
She rarely takes something for herself.
“I always put my kids first,” she said. “Always.”
Rachel’s is one of the hundreds of families donors enable GHP FISH to help each month.