Cold Weather, Warm Hearts
For many of us, January can be a brutal month: the frigid and dry air can make us feel down and unmotivated; trying to figure out how to pay post-holiday bills can make us feel stressed; the political climate can make us feel divided; the constant barrage of sad news that fill our televisions and social media pages can make us feel depressed. It is easy to focus on the cold and negative right now so we want to bring into focus some warmth within our compassionate community.
Soubi Sullivan, a generous Rage Against Addiction volunteer and familiar face within our local Harford County, MD school district, kindly shared her story about how she helps us and why.
“My association with Rage Against Addition began with a chance meeting and a renewed friendship at Klein’s Supermarket. As I was exiting the store, there was Rachael Bongiorno. With her big smile and sparkling eyes, Rachael shared that she was in recovery from drug addiction. She spoke with such pride and determination. We exchanged contact information and promised to stay in touch. We texted and shared the ups and downs of life. However, in late 2019 everything changed when COVID became part of our daily lives. I felt a sense of helplessness witnessing the needs of those most affected. One organization that was providing support was Rage Against Addiction, and I found my opportunity to become more involved, just by being in my kitchen. I love to cook, and Rage and Rachael provided me with the opportunity. The meals I made for the women in Rage’s three sober living houses were simple and homemade from scratch. They were comfort dinners. Food is the language of love when there are no words. I hoped to reassure all of the women that there is always someone who loves and cares for them. That is what I gave, and this is what came back to me: a sense of community within the Rage family. The love and support this community offers to those in need is both heartwarming and reassuring. The dedication from the Rage team and its sober living residents is a testament to their belief that only by uniting our support will recovery occur. Thank you to Rage Against Addiction for the opportunity to be a part of this community.”
Joyce Kafka, another kind-hearted volunteer, has created, designed, and donated countless knit blankets over the last five years. These beautiful and cozy blankets have warmed the bodies and hearts of the women in our sober living houses, the children in our Christmas Kids program who have been devastated by addiction, and the newborns of new mothers in early recovery who are part of our After Baby Care program. Joyce’s willingness to share her creativity and support for others is sincerely appreciated.
Recovery and healing is only possible with like-minded individuals who want to see positive changes and who want to BE a part of that positive change. Those struggling with addiction and the families that have been impacted cannot do it alone. They rely on warm hearts, open minds, and the love from people like Soubi and Joyce.
The questions I have been recently asked have been: what are our impact numbers? How is our sober living program, Daughter’s House, different from other programs? What is our sustainability plan? These questions initially made me angry, offended, and defensive. I thought, “how dare you?” We have helped hundreds of women and thousands of families, and have been a part of the community and the big picture of the recovery world for over ten years. THAT feels like an impact to me!
The questions are valid, and I realize that if you are not a part of our everyday mission you wouldn’t know about all the great things we have accomplished and how we are still making changes to better serve the women we house.
Impact is not just about the number of people reached; it is about the positive changes experienced by those individuals as a result of the program they have participated in.
Safe housing is essential. It provides a foundation for stability, security, and well-being, and can positively impact a person’s health, education, economic opportunities, and overall quality of life. A stable home is crucial for personal development, social integration, and upward mobility, making it a key factor in reducing poverty and improving communities. Sober living reduces the number of individuals experiencing homelessness.
Our program is different because we promote independence, self-awareness, life skills, and foundation building. Healing begins within but it starts with safe housing.
Our Event Calendar is always up-to-date on event times and details about registration information. Please keep coming back to see what we’ve added and how you can participate.
April 10: All registrants of our Memory Walk / Recovery Run event are invited to pick up a Race Kit on Thursday, April 10th, from 5:00pm to 7:00pm at Weichert Realtors (414 South Main Street – Bel Air, MD 21014). Come meet some our awesome Rage team members while picking up Rage swag and some other goodies. (One kit per runner / walker). You can also check-in to our 5K so you can beat the lines on race day! We hope to see you there.
April 12: Get your best athletic shoes on and join us for a beautiful morning of running, walking, honoring, and remembering. Our biggest fundraiser of the year is also our most powerful event. We celebrate those in recovery, remember those we lost to addiction, and help those who need it the most. This is a family-friendly event. Registration details and race information can be found here: 2025 Memory Walk / Recovery Run
- Are you an organization in the recovery, addiction, and mental health fields? We are always looking for organizations to participate as a resource vendor at our Memory Walk / Recovery Run. Please check out how you can provide hope and guidance to those who need it the most: Resource Vendors
- Please consider becoming an event sponsor. We rely on community businesses to help us help others, and what better way to show your support than by becoming a special part of this touching event? Check out the various opportunities you have to help make our day a success: Sponsorship details
We serve locally but think globally. For counseling, or for addiction, substance abuse disorder, or mental illness treatment, please contact your area’s health department, county government, hospital, or law enforcement agency.
Addiction Connections Resource: A non-profit organization that assists with providing resources and support for addiction treatment and that educates the community about substance abuse disorder. Located in Fallston, MD. Please visit here or call 443-417-7810 for more information.
Ashley Addiction Treatment: An inpatient treatment center that personalizes clinical programs based on individual need. Located in Havre De Grace, MD. Please visit here or call 800-799-4673 for information about online and in-person meeting services.
Celebrate Recovery: A local support group for those with addictive behaviors. Located in Bel Air, MD and Joppa, MD.
Mt. Zion Church (1643 Churchville Road, Bel Air, MD 21015): every Thursday at 5:45pm. Please visit here for more information about meetings.
Mountain Christian Church (New Life Center 1802 Mountain Road, Joppa, MD 21085): every Friday at 6:00pm. Please visit here for more details.
GRASP (Grief Recovery After a Substance Passing): A local support group for those who have lost someone to addiction.
6:30pm on the 2nd Wednesday of each month.
Located at Mt. Zion Church: 1643 Churchville Road, Bel Air, MD 21015 (Rooms 13-15)
Contact lisa.craig4@verizon.net for more information. The private national Facebook group is available. Please visit here to ask to join.
The Klein Family Harford Crisis Center: A clinic that provides immediate care for mental health and addiction. Located in Bel Air, MD. Please visit here or call 410-874-0711 for information about services.
Loving An Addict: A local support group for family and friends of those in active addiction.
6:30pm every Tuesday
Located at Mt. Zion Church: 1643 Churchville Road, Bel Air, MD 21015 (Rooms 13-15)
Please visit here for more details.
Voices Of Hope: An organization made up of people in recovery who advocate for behavioral health disorder prevention, intervention, treatment and recovery resources, who eliminate the stigma of addiction through outreach events and education, and who support all pathways of recovery including harm reduction and Narcan training. Located in Cecil County, MD. Please visit here or call 443-933-7055 for information about services.
Daughter’s House: Designed to assist women who are transitioning from substance abuse treatment to recovery; includes three Level II Maryland Certification of Recovery Residence (MCORR) sober living houses (Daughter’s House, Sister House, and The Cottage) located in Harford County, MD. Each house is tailored to meet each individual’s needs.
RAA ABC (After Baby Care): Empowering new moms in early recovery with postpartum care packages for mother and baby. Items are selected from a predetermined checklist for qualifying and referred families.
HALO (How to Live Without Our Addicted Loved One): An online grief support group specifically for those that lost loved ones to substance abuse. Click here to ask to join the private Facebook page. *Please read and answer the membership questions prior to joining.*
Wendy Beck: Founder and Executive Director
Rachel Bongiorno: Daughter’s House Program Director and Recovery Coach
Mia Ellis: Administrator and Board Secretary
Amanda Buddenbohn: Board of Directors President
Tara Kuzma: Board of Directors Treasurer
Rich Bennett: Board Member
Meredith Morris: Board Member
Jeff Pollard: Board Member