Substance Abuse and addiction affects more people than you might think. More than twenty-two million people in the United States suffer from substance use disorders, and twenty-three million people are in or seeking addiction recovery support. According to a landmark CDC report, in 2021 for the first time in United States history, drug overdose deaths exceeded 100,000. The anxiety, depression and uncertainty during the pandemic lockdowns have increased substance abuse and overdoses both nationally and locally.
Repairer of the Breach is a fellowship of people who desire to overcome addictions and compulsive behaviors. This faith-based program meets weekly in Greece at First Bible Baptist Church. The fellowship of people began meeting in June 2020, during the peak of the pandemic. Amanda Graunke struggled with recovery from alcoholism for much of her lifetime until she finally harnessed the power of God to bring her through recovery, and break free from the gripping chains of addiction. This impassioned Amanda to help others be free of substance abuse, addictions or any struggle that may imprison them. After her remarkable recovery, she attended a women’s ministry at First Bible Baptist and listened to a woman named Debbie speak about her son’s triumphant recovery from drugs. “I had to meet him,” she said. Amanda resonated with his testimony of struggling with recovery until he placed God in the center of sobriety. This led her to meeting Brian Borrelli. “Meeting Brian was the confirmation I needed to take the steps to start a faith-based recovery program. Repairer of the Breach began during the pandemic at a time where many were isolated, driving up substance abuse. The pandemic worsened addictions, so many died from it,” an emotional Amanda said. Both Brian and Amanda felt strongly about starting it right away, despite the challenges of social distancing.
They began with Facebook live meetings and outdoor meetings at a park in June of 2020. They used social media to get the word out and within a few months they had more than forty people in attendance at their weekly meetings. The program now meets on Fridays from 7pm to 8pm at First Bible Baptist Church. Pastor Kevin Pestke, of First Bible Baptist Church, wanted to have a Christ centered addiction ministry at the church and supported the program Amanda and Brian were starting. The weekly meetings are for both men and women of all ages from young 20s up through 80s. Meetings open in prayer, and work the twelve steps in conjunction with scripture. Sponsorship is encouraged, testimonies are shared, fellowship is created through struggles, and they break out into small group discussions. The program name Repairer of the Breach was chosen as, “Repairing of the old mindset,” said Brian, “and a breach is anything that gets in the way of God.” For more information on the Repairer of the Breach stop by First Bible Baptist at 990 Manitou Road at 7pm on Fridays, visit the church website at www.fbbc.info.com or find the Repairer of the Breach on Facebook.
Adult and Teen Challenge is a residential living program that serves as a long-term recovery program for those battling addiction and life controlling issues. The program was started by Pastor David Wilkerson who made a challenging step from his small-town pulpit to the most dangerous streets of NYC in 1958 to help teenage boys that engaged in gangs, drugs, and crime. Wilkerson helped restore broken lives of young men who were addicted to drugs and living a life of crime by trading weapons for Bibles. His outreach led to the first ATC center opening in 1960 in Brooklyn. From their simple beginnings ATC now has 287 locations in the United States, and more than a thousand locations worldwide.
Rochester just became the home of the latest ATC program. James West, from Queens NY, struggled with drug and alcohol addiction for 20 years. He was from a broken family and was abused leading to trauma and a lifelong addiction to many substances. He had been in and out of rehabs starting in 1994. After 15 failed attempts to recover, he had an encounter with the Lord and was then led to Adult Teen Challenge to help him recover. In 2009 James became a student at ATC and was finally set free from the bondage of his 20-year addiction. After graduating in 2010, he began volunteering and then working at ATC. James and his wife moved to Greece last Spring to help launch what would be the fifth NYS Adult Teen Challenge residence. West agreed to head up the opening of the Rochester ATC as the Program Director. “I am in love with Rochester area, and I feel I was called here,” he said. In June the residential recovery program opened its doors. ATC is a nonprofit 501c and is supported by the generosity of local churches, donations from businesses and individuals. “The generosity of local churches and businesses has been amazing. Pastor Pat at Greece Assembly has been a faithful supporter to both the ministry and to my family,” James said.
To enroll in the residential program there is a one time induction fee of $500 and the rest of the 12-month residential program is at no cost to the resident. During the 12 months of care and support, students are in a loving Christian community and mentored by others who walked a similar path to freedom. Their days are structured with prayer time, study, classroom time, chores, and free time. The residents have a remarkably high success rate in contrast to national averages. Through effective discipleship, mentoring, and life-skills training, ATC graduates have enjoyed positive outcomes and radical life-transformation throughout its sixty-year history. For more information on Rochester Adult Teen Challenge call the hotline at 585-301-2536 or visit www.rocatc.org To partner with RATC in the NO MORE RED DOTS Campaign to help stop drug overdoses in our community visit https://www.rochesteratc.org/nomorereddots
If you are worried about a friend or family member you suspect may be addicted to drugs seek help from your family physician or the programs above. Addiction is a disease that affects a person’s brain and behavior, leading to an inability to control their use of a legal or illegal drug, or medication, including alcohol. Once a brain becomes “dependent” on a substance, it will prioritize substance use over things previously considered important. Drug addiction can lead to health and relationship issues, including problems at work, school, and home. To help someone with addiction recover encourage them to seek treatment as soon as possible.
