I can’t say enough how grateful I am to Better Beginnings for the impact it has had on my recovery. I decided to get sober in August of 2024, so I went to an inpatient rehab in south Florida for about 40 days. I didn’t know what I was going to do when I got out of rehab – all I knew was that I didn’t want to go back to drinking and using drugs. I had heard that going to Sober Living greatly increased one’s chances of staying sober, so I decided to give it a try. And I am so happy that I did. Before rehab, I had no structure in my life. I was unemployable and unable to maintain healthy relationships. I was scared on that 3 hour trip from south Florida to a town near Tampa that I had never heard of, but when I got to the house, I couldn't believe how nice and welcoming it was. And when Tamara greeted me with a big hug, all my anxiety melted away. I thrived on all the structure and accountability that she implements here at Better Beginnings. Knowing that I must go to 12 step meetings and that I have to be home at night kept me on the right track in the beginning, and as a chronic relapser, this was crucial to my recovery!

     The house is in an amazing location. It’s in a nice neighborhood, but within walking distance to many places of employment and AA meetings. It only took me 8 days to find a job. And once I worked there for a few months, I started looking for a better job, and now I have an actual career! I have lived in the house for just over a year now, and I love it. I have seen women successfully transition out of Better Beginnings into places of their own, but for now, this is where I want to be, with my Better Beginnings family!