Grateful Heart: December 2019 Letter from the Board President

Every year, on the Wednesday night before Thanksgiving, The Pathway Program holds its annual “Gratitude Meeting”. If you have never been to one of these meetings, I would strongly encourage you to attend. The room is filled with a giant circle of chairs, some areas of which are 3 or more rows deep. Looking at the individuals that fill the chairs, one might wonder what type of event they are attending. All that come are there to share in the sentiment of gratitude. A community of people who have all been affected in one way or another by addiction, yet they come to share in a celebration of the many reasons they have to be grateful. Their stories are not novel, they are not easy to tell; descriptions of loss and tales of the ability to overcome. Moments of exuberant laughter sandwiched with heart wrenching tears. After a night like that, one can only leave, forever changed and assuredly filled with gratitude.

One should not underestimate the impact of living with an attitude of gratitude. Here are just a few of the proven lasting benefits of having a grateful heart:

Gratitude is related to 23 percent lower levels of stress hormones (cortisol).
Two gratitude activities (counting blessings and gratitude letter writing) reduced the risk of depression in at-risk patients by 41 percent over a six-month period.
Writing a letter of gratitude reduced feelings of hopelessness in 88 percent of suicidal inpatients and increased levels of optimism in 94 percent of them.
Gratitude increases mental strength; Recognizing all you have to be thankful for – even during the worst times of your life – fosters resilience.

Gratitude, as one component of enthusiastic sobriety programs, is one major reason for such high success rates.

The fingerprints foundation recently held their first major fundraiser and we were overwhelmed with the attendance and support. We heard stories of lives changed; both parents and young adults, and successes that we have already fostered due to grants from the fingerprints foundation. These successes are the result of hard work on the part of the recipient as well as donations from generous individuals who understand and see the results of enthusiastic sobriety programs. Programs which can cost from $7500 – $15000 for just the treatment portion. We are grateful for those who attended, contributed and shared the event. Despite the greater than expected turnout and contributions, we are still in need of donations so that we have the ability to make a difference in every life that needs recovery. In the near future, we will be expanding our reach through attendance at community events and raising awareness through presentations at schools and youth events. We are in need of many volunteers and financial support. Please consider partnering with us in our effort to provide hope to those suffering from addiction by giving a donation or signing up for our newsletter or volunteer team on our website.

Sincerely,

Geoffrey A. Kuzmich