218-284-1800

RECOVERY SERVICE CENTER

THE TLC GAZETTE

DECEMBER 2021 EDITION

HAPPY HOLIDAY WISHES FROM THE LOTUS CENTER, INC

We don’t have an Elf on a shelf we have a Gnome on the Roam named Jerome at TLC. We are going to challenge our clients to look for him every time they come to visit us. Follow us and his adventures with our Outreach Worker this Holiday Season!!!

Where can you pencil me in? Let's Forget the Pencil

We are offering walk-in assessments and intakes every Wednesday from 9AM-3PM!! No appointment needed. You are welcome in enjoy a little coffee and doughnuts generously donated to us from Sandy's in our lobby.

JOIN THE MISSION WITH TLC

APPLICATIONS FOR BOARD MEMBERS

The Lotus Center, INC. is looking to fill two board vacancies for the coming 2022 year.The commitment would require the member to attend quarterly meetings for 2 years and be engaged in at least two annual community events.

Please email any interests or nominations to sarahc@thelotuscenterinc.org

New Location!

We entered 2020 with uncertainty as our world faced new challenges and continued navigating through 2021. We often were required for others and our own welfare to distance ourselves from supports that normally would have been there to steady our recovery during challenging times. In nine months we have begun to witness the toll of exceedingly limited contact and increasing isolation. Increasing needs required more staff and services and quickly found we had outgrown our three little offices. Our new location is just down the road on 1401 8th Street South Moorhead next to Bell Bank and Eventide.

FROSTIVAL EVENT

Feb 4th

The Lotus Center

Honeysuckle Hooping &

Brother's Table

with the help of the MBA and

FMCVB

will be hosting

"Beyond the Wonderland"

A presentation on healthy activity options within the FM community that support a lifestyle for all forms of recovery followed by dance party DJ'd by StarIV of Icebreaks Entertainment & Bass Sick Beats geared towards individuals seeking a fun winter event in an alcohol free setting. Proving you can have a wild amount of fun while still working on yourself.

Doors Open 5:30 PM

Event Begins 6:30PM

Free Entrance

Brothers Table

1500 11th St N, Moorhead, MN 56560

We are looking for Volunteers for this event

email sarahc@thelotuscenterinc.org

Support for Lotus Center Inc upcoming Giving Hearts is Requested

Check Us Out On Facebook

“I understood, through rehab, things about creating characters. I understood that creating whole people means knowing where we come from, how we can make a mistake and how we overcome things to make ourselves stronger.”

– Samuel L. Jackson

Jason's Story

(posted to TLC FB wall by client November 3rd)

Wow!!! 3 years since i laid down the needle for the last time and made a promise to myself that i would never pick it up again as well as all the other shit that was literally killing me. I can honestly say i have absolutely no regrets about it. My life is great now by no means perfect and that's not the goal anyhow. I continue to work and improve myself still and i will for the rest of my existence. I have a ton i could say and want to and soon i will. I plan to start my own vlog see how it goes and I'll share what helps me and whatever else i decide to add, more on that later.

Maintaining a healthy and honest program in recovery is the hardest thing i have ever done in my life, it is also been the most rewarding. One last thing and definitely not the least by any means whatsoever. I could not have done this without all the people that have been so kind and caring and willing to help someone like me that wondered in their doors broken down homeless and so lost asking for help 3 years ago, they did not hesitate one bit to sit me down and listen like no has before. Thank you all so much i am so grateful for you all. All the amazing people at the lotus center you are my rock i love you all and cant thank you enough. There is many others i would be here forever. The support from you all on social media is paramount to my success thank you all!!! A special thanks to beth and sarah at TLC and Jann Johnson Troy White. You helped build the foundation thank you all!!! See ya next year for another celebration!!!

CONGRATULATIONS JASON

ON 3 YEARS!!

Let's Ramp Up Positive Impacts

Huge Thank You To Past & Present Donors

Your 2021 donations helped The Lotus Center offer essential recovery services to over 150 individuals impacted by substance use in a time where overdose rates are at an all time high, offering each another day shared with others !!

And Say what!?! There is some science behind this giving

Check out the video above; the simple fact is helping feels good, we all know that. Anyone who has ever donated their time or money to a charity, knows that there are a lot of positive feelings that come along with it. Well, we call " Positive (+'s) High” and we’ve got numerous scientific studies that prove the unavoidable, accompanying positive side effects that come with it: lower blood pressure, increased self-esteem, less depression, lower stress levels, increased fitness levels, and greater happiness.

But the fine people at University of California Berkeley, backed by the University of Michigan, have established through research that this Helpers High can actually make you live longer.

So, there you have it. Giving makes you live longer and feel better. But, let’s say you don’t believe us, or the many studies, then why not run your own personal study and donate to a great local charity like ours where we treat those facing the daily struggles of addiction, the homeless, and poverty stricken populations like the real people they are?

Your gift will double when they return to productive roles in society, equipped with their personal purposes and meanings, and having swapped out their drug and alcohol highs for the Helpers High they have discovered comes through giving (we teach them how to do what we do).

Whether you do or don’t believe any of this science and witness, make a donation anyway, and enjoy your Helpers High. But be warned, it is very addictive!

If you’re still reading, we want to thank you for deciding to help us accomplish our mission!

We accept assistance in a myriad of manners, including some that we may not even have considered yet. So if you have an idea of how to help us that isn’t listed here, please call Sarah Opitz at (218)284-1803 and let’s talk about it! In the meantime, here are some of the more obvious ways of altruism:

FEB 10th GHD 2022

NEW TLC PROGRAMS

Housing Services

In the last year, it became very apparent to The Lotus Center, INC. staff needed to find a means to help a number of our clients find a safe and permanent place to call home if they were to succeed in their recovery.

It is unrealistic to expect someone to focus on healing and learning when they aren't entirely sure of where they would be laying their head down for the night or getting the next meal.

These basic needs in Maslow's pyramid were simply missing from the equation despite valiant efforts to make to group or individual appointments. We recognized the challenge of remaining connecting with a number of providers at differed locations, and once in housing it was common for the individual to become disconnected from the supports. So, we took on housing supports, housing stabilization, and consultation services and hired on Shyam Rai as a case manager.

Outpatient Treatment Programming

May 2021 we hired 2 full-time LADC's: Karla Winter and Christine Pryor. This allowed for us to expand our treatment services with adding a day outpatient program and an evening aftercare group. The aftercare group, called Everyday Recovery Group (ERG), is an alternative to the traditional relapse prevention approach.

Additionally, we now have Walk-in Assessments on Wednesdays from 9 am-3 pm to get individuals connected to our services and reduce barriers faced.

We have a wonderful intern, Ashley Nucamendi, who has been with us since August. She is working towards her LADC and has been a great asset to our treatment team and our ability to connect with so many clients.

There are just over 100 individuals who are actively enrolled in all levels of care!

"The Lotus Center, Inc. has given me a space to clear my head and start prioritizing things in my life much better." - Anonymous.

ORC- Overdose Response Coordination

Overdose Response Coordination (ORC) through

A Resource for Recovery was formed to create a bridge addressing identified gaps faced by those suffering from stimulant and opiate overdoses; connecting them to services and support through a warm hand-off provided by individuals with shared personal experience. Kyle Christianson oversees the

ORC project and collaboratively works with various agencies across the western part of Minnesota to offer Peer Recovery Specialists that have completed specific additional training in aiding individuals struggling with stimulants and opiate’s abuse to connect with local recovery resources.

A Peer Recovery Specialist does not provide counseling services, but offers coordinated care for individuals; connecting them with community recovery supports and professional resources. They provide a timely response to referrals following an overdose with the intention of reducing further use or encouraging safer practices supported by a harm reduction model. Services and resources provided will cover an area from the Canadian to Iowa border, covering all counties on the western half of Minnesota

Outreach is Coming to A Location Near You

20+ million Americans are reported to be currently struggling with substance use disorders, while an estimated 86 million are directly impacted. Yet, only 10% will connect with services within the coming year. Of those 20+ million; about 40% have a co-occurring mental health disorder in which only half receive treatment for, and 40% are not ready to entirely stop using.

Bethany Chapman came on as a LADC but found her passion on helping others at ground zero; helping to get them connected with essential resources needed to support them on their journey of recovery. The outreach program goes to shelters, housing authorities and churches to meet people where they presently are at. They offer low barrier, noninvasive, opportunities for community members to connect and cultivate a therapeutic relationship

Outreach services involve taking down the barriers and closing the gap for people to engage in treatment services. Expecting individuals to come to us when seeking help isn't always a realistic option, so providers should make it a point to meet the person where they are at.

FADAA OUTREACH POWER POINT

CONNECT WITH US

1401 8th St S, STE 3

Moorhead, MN 56560

218-284-1800

lotus.center.inc@gmail.com