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This week we are delighted to highlight Tiffany Foster - a wonderful leader in our community and whose personal story illustrates the life changing power of our ‘inner strength.’ Tiffany is the Regional Northeast Manager for The Phoenix organization where she is helping build a sober active community that fuels resilience and harnesses the transformational power of ‘connection’ so that together we rise, recover, and live.
She recently participated in a panel sponsored by the Sunshine Initiative, called “Connecting with the Community.” In that session, Tiffany shared a very powerful personal story:
"I was born and raised in MA - the South Shore Taunton/New Bedford area. Every year for as long as I can remember my family and I spent the week of 4th of July at Cold Springs in Ashland, NH where my grandparents had a timeshare. These are some of my best memories. I started using at an early age, about 13, and by the time I was 16, I was using OC's and cocaine and party drugs. By the time I was 18, I was homeless, in and out of detox, jails, and living with drug dealer boyfriends and in very dangerous situations. I became involved in human trafficking and finally got out in 2012. At that point I chose to be homeless on the streets of Boston until I had a moment of clarity and hope in October 2013.
That cold October day, I woke up in the woods of Franklin Park (Boston) and was covered in frost. I went to wake up the person who was next to me and he didn't move. I thought "Oh no, he's dead, and I can't call for help because I don't have a phone". Then I realized I wouldn't have called because I had outstanding warrants. I then thought "If I died out here, no one would know". The person lying next to me didn't even know my last name and I was a missing person because my family was the enemy at that point as they didn't want me to use. The final thought was, "I don't want to die." I hadn't thought that in a long time. I knew I would die out there and I was ok with it. But then, I went into treatment for like the 98th time, and fortunately it was the last time. The person next to me eventually did wake up but that 30 or so seconds shook me enough to make a change.
I got sober at The Phoenix in Lowell, MA and have never left. I utilized a peer support program and found that physical activity helped me cope with anxiety and depression. When I first walked into the program, they sat me down and asked me what my hobbies were, and I was like - to find someplace to sleep tonight. I worked out, did yoga, and ran. I practiced meditation, and I connected to people that were doing positive things to better their lives. My first CrossFit class ever was a Phoenix class. I had had five years of sobriety at that point, and it actually changed the course of my life - I believe it saved my life.
My vision for The Phoenix in NH is that every day all throughout the state there is a group of sober people doing something together. Connecting, sharing stories, strengths, and fears. Utilizing each other's networks to build full and meaningful lives or to get the support they need - from sober mom walks, surfing events, safe sober spaces at concerts, to book clubs and game nights. I would love The Phoenix to ‘be the way’ that everyone gets the support they need with no barriers. Free and accessible to everyone who needs it.
We are funded by grants and donations. We are also an army of volunteers which is how we stay free. And after 3 months, we survey every member that comes to the Phoenix and it's a 97 percent rate of staying sober which is unheard of for any other treatment option.
Anyone anywhere can raise their hands to get involved in a number of ways. Download our app and complete a simple process through which you’ll get connected with the onboarding specialist and if you're in this area her name is Erica. She'll take you through how to use the app, how to set up your events and we even have a marketing team that will help you spread the word about your events. CrossFit in New Hampshire is starting to host classes and the best way to find any of our classes is to use the app and it will let you know what is in your area by your location on that phone any day of the week.”
We at the Sunshine Initiative support and partner with The Phoenix. All are welcome to participate – it’s free and the only requirement is 48 hours of sobriety – and that’s it. The work that Tiffany and her colleagues are doing is having an enormously positive impact – and changing people’s lives – for good.
Thank you, Tiffany, for the courage and inner strength that you demonstrate every day to help others find their way! If you are interested in learning more about this amazing organization, please visit them at thephoenix.org.
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