OF THE WORKWEEK.
>>> THANK YOU, RICH.
>>> HERE IS A STORY THAT IS NOT
JUST POSITIVELY JAX, IT REALLY
IS INSPIRING.
SHE IS A RECOVERING ALCOHOLIC.
SOBER OR 15 YEARS AND NOW ADDING
ALCOHOLICS MOVE FORWARD WITH
THEIR LIVES.
HER RESTAURANT OFFERS THEM HOPE.
>>> WE STARTED ARDENS IN 2004.
THE WHOLE CONCEPT WAS WE WANTED
TO HELP OTHER PEOPLE.
FRIDAY.
SAD WE DO ONE DAY, WE DO
BREAKFAST 8-1.
AND THEN ON SUNDAY WE DO 10-5.
>>> WE FOUND SOME OF THE
RESTAURANTS WE COULD HELP
OTHERRED AICTS AND ALCOHOLICS
LIFE.
SO WE USED THE RESTAURANT AS A
PLACE TO EMPLOY THESE FOLKS.
>>> THREE TIME CONVICTED FELON
AND DRUGS AND KOLL WAS ALL ABOUT
MY LIFE.
NOBODY WOULD HIRE ME.
CHANCE.
AND I'VE BEEN HER COOK FOR ABOUT
A YEAR NOW.
>>> I USED THE RESTAURANT TO
HELP ME WITH MY SOB BRIDETY.
IN OTHER WORDS, I'M VERY OPEN
ABOUT MY RECOVERY.
I'VE HAD NINE DUIs, I REALLY
THOUGHT MY LIFE WAS OVER.
WHEN I DID TIME FOR MY 9th
DUI IN 2001, IF YOU HAVE ASKED
ME I WOULD BE SITTING HERE
TODAY, I'D TELL YOU YOU'RE
CRAZY.
BUT WHILE I WAS INCARCERATED
THIS LAST TIME, I WENT THROUGH A
PROGRAM.
>> I MET ARDEN IN THAT PROGRAM
COMPLETING IT FOR HER DUIsING,
OF COURSE I WAS IN THERE FOR
POSSESSION OF COCAINE.
WHEN I GOT OUT WHEN I WENT TO A
HALFWAY HOUSE AND THEN ARDEN GOT
OUT LIKE TWO MONTHS LATER CAME
TO THE SAME HALFWAY HOU AND,
ABOUT FOUR MONTHS LATER AFTER
THAT, WE OPENED THE RESTAURANT.
SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, I MADE
MICHELLE MY MISSION, YOU KNOW,
AND WE KIND OF CAME OUT OF THERE
DOING THIS TOGETHER AND I VOWED
TO, YOU KNOW, HELP US BOTH STAY
STRAIGHT AND SOBER
HAS THERE BEEN A TIME WHEN I
WAIVERED?
>>> ALLISON WAS MY WAITRESS,
WAITRESS THAT WORKED AT ARDEN,
YOUNG GIRL 26 YEARS OLD BUT
REALLY LOST.
WE CAME IN TO WORK ONE MORNING
AND THEY TOLD ME THAT ALLISON
HAD ODs ON -- OR SHE HAD GONE
INTO CARDI ARREST IN THE
MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, SO ALLISON,
YOU KNOW, SHE DIED ON I BELIEVE
IT WAS IN MAY.
THAT REALLY SHOOK ME UP.
AND I THINK EVER SINCE THAT DAY,
YOU KNOW, I LOOKED AT MICHELLE
AND I JUST SAID, YOU KNOW,
STAYING SOBER ISN'T GOOD ENOUGH,
WE HAVE TO DO MORE.
>>> THAT IS WHAT PROMPTED US TO
OPEN SISTERS OF HOPE HOUSE.
IT IS A HOME THAT WE PROVIDE FOR
WOMEN THAT ARE TRYING TO CHANGE,
TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, DEVELOP A
NEW WAY OF LIVING, YOU KNOW,
THAT WANT TO LIVE THE RIGHT WAY
AND DO THE RIGHT THING.
>>> NO OTHER HOUSES ARE LIKING
THIS ONE.
THEY HELP YOU WITH THE PROGRAM.
STEPS.
THEY'RE VERY SUPPORTIVE.
>>> I WOULD HOPE THAT THE CITY
OF JACKSONVILLE AND NIRLD, YOU
KNOW, WOULD GET MORE
ORGANIZATIONS AND HOUSING FOR
PEOPLE THAT ARE STRUGGLING WITH
ADDICTION.
TODAY I HAVE CUSTODY OF MY
15-YEAR-OLD, YOU KNOW WE LIVE A
GOOD LIFE TODAY.
CAN.
JUST NEVER GIVE UP HOPE.
>> PEOPLE ARE DYING EVERY DAY.
AND IF WE UNIO CAN SAFE ONE,
WE'VE DONE OUR JOB.
>>> SHE WAS DOWN BUT SHE WASN'T
OUT AND SHE SHOWS YOU THE FUTURE
WE'RE GOING THE CHAT WITH ARDEN