At the East Texas Treatment Facility in Henderson, TX, Christopher Morgan, Quinton Starks, and Marcus Branch have taken full advantage of the opportunities granted to them through the facility’s DWI treatment program.

“It does open up everybody’s eyes to think things that we don’t think about,” says Christopher. “It gets down to our hearts and [that’s] important to anybody’s sobriety.”

“It really opened my eyes to see the different possibilities in life and how to control my anger to my depression,” explains Quinton. “It’s always good to talk to somebody.”

“It makes me feel very comfortable taking it one day at a time to get into the world and just start my life as I’ve done here,” says Marcus.

While at the East Texas Treatment Facility, these men have found hope for their futures through innovative programming and job opportunities.

Christopher is a librarian assistant.

“It gives you basic customer service [skills], it gives you basic responsibility,” he says. “I’ve got to get up every day and come here, put in a day’s work, and then go home to the program. It gives everybody a good routine, a good start. It gives me that.”

Quinton was a student working hard to accomplish his long-time goal of obtaining his GED.

“I’m actually a chef on the outside, and I’ve been cooking for six years, so I’ve been wanting to go to culinary school real bad. And without that certificate, it’s been holding my process up, so now with that paper, with my GED, I can now go to culinary school, which is my dream to go.”

While Marcus works toward his goals, he serves as the facility’s administrative porter and cleans the facility’s administrative offices. Through the respect shown to him by facility staff, he has gained more confidence in himself and his abilities.

“It’s very respectful around here. ‘Good morning’, ‘Have a nice day’, ‘Keep up the hard work’.”

When times get hard, Christopher, Quinton, and Marcus all turn to their families and caring staff to help them overcome the obstacles they’re facing.

“When the days are tough, I think about them,” explains Marcus. “I also love to read my Bible, constantly. I call my family on a day-to-day basis. When I get off work here, I go home, relax, read my Bible, take my shower, and get ready for the next day…My kids, they’re out there waiting on me, so they keep me striving to go out, to go to the house.”

“Go back to my family, because I’m a father,” explains Christopher. “It’s very important to me. Get back and do the right thing. Not make the same mistake twice.”

“As time went on and I started doing more group and learning a little bit more about myself and my problems, I was like ‘Okay, it’s not that bad. There’s a positive outlook to this,’” says Quinton.

“So I started loving it more and more. It’s a bittersweet moment because I get to go home, which I’m loving, but I’m leaving behind a whole bunch of great staff, people who actually care about people doing good in life, who cares about your future, who wants to see everybody do great. So it’s kind of a bittersweet moment.”

With lots of hard work, perseverance, and determination in their programming and jobs, they have found their time at East Texas to be rewarding.

“I’d say that there is a light at the end of the tunnel,” says Christopher. “I know that I do have an opportunity. I know that if I’m uncomfortable or need help in some area, I can ask for it and I can get it. I’ve got a good head start and I can only thank these folks here.”