By Sheila Feldman Buckmaster
It’s been a challenging day for Rebecca. She’d spent way too much time chasing after Gracie, a responsibility that is now a part of her job description as Office Peer at Grace Street Recovery. A beagle puppy, Gracie gets into everything. She also makes friends easily.
“Gracie has lots of ‘uncles and aunts’ who drop by to visit her,” says Rebecca, referring to people who have benefited from Grace Street Recovery’s dedication to helping people “in there recovery” and overcome substance addiction and, sometimes, mental health issues. “The two often go hand in hand,” Rebecca says.
For Rebecca, the recovery center has been a sanctuary, long before she joined the staff.
On September 10, 2025, she was arrested on a drug charge. “I’d spent about two months in a detention center when I became part of Problem-Solving Court [PSC],” she says. The court’s rehabilitation program is designed to help people struggling with addiction who have gotten into trouble with the law as a direct result of their substance use. A growing approach in the U.S., PSCs work to break the prison-court-prison cycle by addressing the underlying problems that contribute to criminal behavior.
Rebecca had abused drugs and alcohol for more than half her life. At 35, she would get the help that would change her world. The arrest brought her to her senses. “If I hadn’t become involved with Problem-Solving Court, I would have gone to prison.”
The court requires all participants to check in with a judge once a month, submit to random drug testing, and work directly with Grace Street Recovery for help and support.
In a world where twists and turns, ups and downs, characterize everyone’s life, Rebecca got hit hard. She was homeless for about four years, literally living on the street and occasionally “couch hopping” for a few nights with people who were open-hearted enough to help her in her struggle to get her life together. “I hadn’t had a place to call home for a very long time,” she shares.
Enter Talbot Interfaith Shelter (TIS), which she learned about from a Grace Street Recovery staffer. Rebecca clearly remembers the day she excitedly interviewed with TIS’s Director of Operations, Sadé Howard, and Case Manager DeWayne. At this turning-point meeting, she was told about TIS requirements and asked about her goals and what she was going to do to make them a reality.
“I told them that I planned on doing whatever I had to do to make a better life for myself.”
Rebecca was accepted into TIS, where she would learn life lessons, including how to interact with others in a positive way. Also on tap were personal finance skills and the self-esteem rewards of doing daily chores. Everyone has kitchen and cooking duties. In addition, Rebecca was tasked with keeping the bathrooms and dining room spotless.
Perhaps most therapeutic, and most critical, in her healing journey was “feeling like a part of a family.” The TIS environment fosters a sense of warmth and belonging. Guests are encouraged to get together every night for dinner, with the exception of those who can’t join the table because of their work schedules. Employment is a prime focus at TIS and a critical component of the self-sufficiency the shelter works to help its guests achieve.
“I have been clean since September 11, 2025,” she says, clearly with pride.
Four months into Rebecca’s TIS stay, she learned about an open position at Grace Street Recovery, a place already dear to her heart. She submitted a resumé and landed the job of Office Peer, which involves people in recovery helping others on their own recovery journeys. It’s a peer-to-peer environment. Her Grace Street acceptance came in early September of this year. She quickly moved from a part-time position to a full-time job. Being a part of something meaningful is as important to her as receiving a steady salary.
The money Rebecca earns helped her complete her five-month stay with TIS and begin the next chapter in her life. Most stays are longer than that. “The shelter wouldn’t have let me move on if I wasn’t ready,” she says.
When she was interviewed for the story, you are reading now; she’d spent just two nights in her new home: a transitional three-bedroom apartment, partially subsidized by TIS, that she shares with two friends she met at the shelter. With so much shared experience behind them, their new “family” provides a strong support system as they begin this next chapter together.
The personal finance management lessons they learned at the shelter are already being put to good use. From the outset, they are making decisions about how they, as a group, will manage their finances and household responsibilities. “We are dedicated to fairness, sharing costs, and respecting one another,” she offers. They will continue to support one another as they adjust to their new lives. Homelessness will be a thing of the past.
Their first-night celebration meal was Salisbury steak and mashed potatoes, cooked in the microwave. They are poised to get pots, pans, and a crockpot, and are looking forward to lots of hearty eating. Comfort food is on the menu for the newly formed family. “Maybe chili and chicken and dumplings will be put on the table soon,” Rebecca says.
Good, healthy food will certainly help Rebecca have the energy to keep up with Gracie the beagle, the emotional support dog at Grace Street Recovery. “Gracie’s learning not to chew furniture and the belongings of guests. She’s such a busybody!” Rebecca shares. With Rebecca as her main teacher, Gracie is also receiving “potty training” guidance, which means walks outside every half-hour or so and lots of praise as she shows progress.
Rebecca is at an exciting crossroads in her life, still putting together the pieces. First and foremost, TIS gave her the tools to succeed, but that doesn’t mean she has cut ties with the shelter. She will continue to nurture the relationships forged there, keeping up with staff and guests. Plus, she knows she can count on TIS to help her should the need arise.
She also credits Grace Street Recovery and Problem-Solving Court with assisting her in her determination to move forward. “I wouldn’t be where I am today if I hadn’t had loving, respectful people help steer me right.” Most importantly, “Without TIS support, I don’t know where life would have taken me. I couldn’t have said that a year ago,” she says.
Indeed, Rebecca is beyond grateful. Her desire to grow continues to take her where she needs to be. “I know that the possibilities are endless,” she says, “thanks to the angels who have helped me.”
Gracie, you little dog, are so lucky to have Rebecca in your life at Grace Street Recovery. This changed woman knows what it’s like to give and get help. Lovingly.
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