A New Year, A New Start

Gemeinschaft Home highlights four recent participants at different stages in the program, asking them to consider their experiences and what they hope to accomplish after they have completed the program.
​

Clockwise: Kayla Comer, Kevin Cruz, Tara Keagy, and Matthew Redding.

​Kayla Comer, 23 has been at Gemeinschaft Home for 41 days. She points to the structure and safe environment of the program as success factors for her to maintain a positive outlook and keep perspective. She gets a lot from discussions with her peers during group sessions, never feeling alone in the experience. After the program, she hopes to find a good job and to be there for her child as an active mother. She says Gemeinschaft is a good place to start over, that “this place keeps people from going backward.”

At Gemeinschaft for about six weeks, Kevin Cruz, 27 cites the benefits of the program’s structure and the opportunity to discuss difficult subjects with others, to open up to his peers in a safe environment that is free from judgement. His advice to anyone entering the program for the first time is to be open to helping whoever they can.

​While at first unsure about the experience, Tara Keagy, 45 now calls Gemeinschaft Home the best program in the local area. She says the structure helps her to stay accountable and on track and that the staff are helpful and always available. She enjoys meeting new people in the house and being exposed to those from different backgrounds who all still share one common goal—progress. Tara wants to prove to herself and her kids that she has changed for the better. After graduation, Tara hopes to rent an apartment and to continue working on herself and relationships with her family.

​At the end of 90 days, Matthew Redding, 34, says his favorite parts of the program were the life skills classes and group sessions, knowing that he had people to help him get through difficult discussions. The program has taught him that being able to ask for help is important, and his first goal after graduation is more education to earn a commercial driver’s license so that he can have a stable career to support himself independently.

---