REAL LIFE recently participated in another W.A.I.T.T. graduation where we honored men and women who have taken bold steps in their recovery journey through the W.A.I.T.T. Program — We Are In This Together.
This program is available to people who are incarcerated and are also motivated to change their life and relationship with substances. As Jasmine, REAL LIFE graduated and Alumni Coordinator, shared, “What we can’t do alone, we can definitely do together. Just like it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a village to raise yourself to grow up in recovery.”
The W.A.I.T.T. Program isn’t just about serving time — it’s about transformation. “Jail is just a consequence of the behavior, but it doesn’t try to rectify the behaviors or figure out why I did what I did. If you don’t know, you’re going to repeat. That’s why behavior modification programs are extremely important.”
Change doesn’t happen overnight, especially when it comes to Substance Use Disorder. It takes willingness and courage. As Jasmine reminds us, “A lot of us need this program, but not everybody wants it because they’re not ready.”
In this program, women learn to live in community — holding each other accountable while building respect. And most of all, they learn that recovery is a precious gift: “Not everybody has the opportunity to survive their addiction. Most folks die from it. If you have another chance at life, this is the perfect time to seize the opportunity.”
We’re grateful for Jasmine’s powerful words and so proud of these graduates for seizing their chance and stepping boldly into a new chapter.
