Testimonials

Hi Steve,

Great presentation yesterday.
I have a great deal of respect and love for you.
I can’t imagine what you have gone thru {sic} and endured. May God bless you and keep you held tightly in his arms.
I hope this will be a little help to your foundation.
Stay strong and I wish you a wonderful year.

Sincerely,
Jon

Steve,
Your talk today was terrific! I know it’s got to be incredibly difficult for you to talk about but please know how impactful it is for us to hear. The poem at the end was perfect: we have a choice in the face of tragedy- either look back with sadness or look forward with hope. You are obviously looking forward and it truly is an inspiration.

We’ll never understand why God’s plan for you has been so painful (at least we won’t understand that as long as we’re still on this earth- my pastor always says that the most common word in heaven is going to be aaaaaahhhhhh! (As in, “ah, I get it now. I didn’t understand before but I see what your plan was for me now”). I count myself blessed to have you as a friend. You are obviously living according to God’s call- doing what you know He wants you to do to help people. It’s awesome to watch.

Thanks again for sharing today.

Mike

Steve-
Man, great job today. I don’t know too many people that would have the courage and strength to share what you did. I am thankful to call you my friend and I am encouraged by your efforts to help others. It would be much easier to shut down and become bitter…to develop a mentality that others should deal with their own issues.

By giving back, and because of your in depth personal experience, you can have a bigger impact on people’s lives than most others. By giving back and getting involved you are developing a legacy bigger than you, and you are an example to others that there is more to life and Northwestern than ribbons and points.

You will continue to do great things and I look forward to hearing about your progress!

Graham

Steve, you have a lot of strength and courage to get up on that podium like you did today and tell your story. You are making the best of a bad situation about as well as is possible with the extent of your community work. My hat is off to you.

Rick

Stephen Grant of Chris and Kelly’s HOPE Foundation came to speak to the parents and participants of the 13th Circuit Juvenile Drug Court program on September 18, 2013. I had never heard him speak before but heard bits and pieces of his story. By sharing his story, Stephen spoke volumes to all in attendance. To hear the details is one thing but to see a death certificate with his child’s name on it truly made for a rude awakening to many. As everyday people, we have a tendency to think “not my child”, “this would never happen to me” and the reality is no one is exempt regardless of race, socioeconomic status, educational background or anything else. The real truth is if you use drugs you will end up either in prison, jail or the grave. Unfortunately, Stephen’s children both lost the battle. Drugs won. Many of the parents were moved to tears and the look on the faces of the juveniles present was mere shock. We have group twice weekly and they have yet to stop talking about Chris and Kelly’s HOPE Foundation. The next day the kids and parents were calling me to make sure I had enough brochures to give out. Some were even so specific to say that they did not want a copy; instead, they wanted the ones in color. Since hearing the story of Chris and Kelly, the kids have not stopped talking about it and many of them have shared the story with others in hope for change.

We have a saying in JDC that says “If nothing changes, nothing changes”. I decided to post up the brochure in the group room as a constant reminder of what happens when nothing changes as a way to encourage them to strive for recovery. I am so grateful for Stephen’s willingness to share his story and will forever support the Chris and Kelly’s HOPE Foundation.

Best wishes,

Jamila Lockhart MA, NCACII
13th Judicial Circuit Solicitors Office
Juvenile Drug Court
http://www.greenvillecounty.org/solicitor/juvenile_drug_court.asp

The Family Effect is working hard with community leaders to save children from the sharp edges of addiction. Chris & Kelly’s HOPE Foundation has played a leading role at White Horse Academy, our residential program for teenage boys. Our boys in treatment have come to the end of their road early in life, and together we work to build new, healthier roads for them to travel. Chris & Kelly’s HOPE Foundation has invested significantly in the clinical program at White Horse Academy, enabling us to work with clinicians from Duke University Medical Center and other national partners.

As a result, the Academy’s clinical program is right on the leading edges of addiction science and is saving boys from all over the state. The Academy has a current success rate of 68% for boys in treatment. And boys who do graduate are, one year later, less likely to be using drugs and alcohol than the average US teenager.

In the Fall of 2013, we will be opening Chris & Kelly’s HOPE Fitness Park at the Academy. This public-private partnership will provide outdoor exercise opportunities for our boys in treatment every morning, and public access to the equipment for users of Greenville’s Swamp Rabbit Trail every afternoon.

We work hard to bring hope and healing to our boys at the Academy, and their families. Chris & Kelly’s HOPE Foundation has been playing a leadership role in this effort, and we are very grateful for that.

Thanks-
Scott T. Dishman,
CFRE Director of Community Engagement
The Family Effect
1400 Cleveland Street Greenville, SC 29607 office 864 467-3748 mobile 864 915-0801
www.familyeffect.org