Victory Programs

Christopher's Story

victory house door At 48 years old, Christopher held a respected position at a Boston hospital and paid his rent on time every month. He never imagined how quickly and drastically his situation could change. When Christopher suddenly lost his job because of his binge drinking, he lost complete control of his life. “I realized that I was no longer living the good life. I had lost my friends and family because I had become isolated and self centered. I was more interested in getting drunk than supporting personal relationships. I was miserable, lonely and things were getting worse…fast.”

Scared and overwhelmed, Christopher chose to disappear, leaving him alone with no family or friends to turn to for help. Within four months, Christopher had lost his job, totaled his car, was evicted from his apartment, and was imprisoned on a serious felony conviction. “I had lost everything that had taken me many years to build, including my self-respect and dignity.”

After serving his time in prison, Christopher was accepted into Victory House, a six to eight month residential substance abuse recovery program. Victory House provides specialized on-site support services such as case management, alcoholism and addiction treatment, life skills, and health education.

Starting over was difficult and frustrating for Christopher. With the help of the staff of Victory House, he was able to focus and work on the challenges in his life. Unlike many of the other residents at Victory House, Christopher had never been homeless before. “I was too ashamed and embarrassed to let any of my friends and family know what kind of predicament I was in, and therefore resisted any thoughts of asking for help. Victory Programs helped me to sort out the wreckage of my past and pushed me to work hard at what was necessary to accomplish my goals.”

Finding housing was also a frustrating and time consuming challenge for Christopher. “Dealing with all the agencies, people, paperwork, lists, and changes proved to be so confusing and mind-boggling; I was convinced that it was a deliberate attempt to discourage people from asking for help.” The Victory Programs’ Housing Coordinator became Christopher’s best resource. “He wrote everything down and emphasized constant follow-ups. He set goals and never accepted ‘no’ for an answer.”

Today Christopher is living comfortably in a clean, quiet and affordable apartment outside of Boston. He holds a steady job and is taking classes to further his education and enhance his life. Christopher attributes much of his success to the staff of Victory Programs and is grateful for the confidence they instilled in him. He suffered the powerful effects of alcohol, and avows never to return to that life of loneliness, instability and uncertainty again.