My name is Matthew.  I am many things in this world today.  I am a specialist in the United States Army and have just earned an early promotable status for my role in several support missions along the South Korean Peninsula. I am a proud son and brother to a loving family, I am a future husband to a beautiful woman who has stolen my heart, and I am a future Dad to our children someday.

Before I am any of those things, and before I take inventory of my current and future successes, I must take inventory of my past and remember my humble beginnings.  For years my life was plagued by substance abuse and addiction.  The reason I write to you today is to address causality and the existence of a growing problem in our youth, and our communities and to recognize simply and plainly those who are fighting to solve problems.

During my time at the residence of Rogers Home, I discovered the tact and willpower to become a human being again. Make no mistake, my life had no future the way I was living it.  I spent years in and out of other institutions to seek treatment to which operating procedures tend to be far more bureaucratic and often fail to address underlying issues that steer an individual towards continued ruin. I believe the 12 life changing months I spent at Rogers Home were different. This distinction is what vaults Rogers Home ahead of other institutions.  

The time I was fortunate enough to spend in that home taught me how to use a vast arsenal of skills and coping methods to handle problems in my life.  It taught me unity and brotherhood, love and understanding, forgiveness, and humility.  At the forefront of this curriculum are the owners, Milton, Frank, and Jose.  I would be remiss if I did not mention the great impact these men have had on my life.  Their dedication to the healing of others is profound and never ceases. These people have families and careers just like the rest of us, and the monumental time and money they spend to clothe, feed, and house those who have lost their way is what will always cement them as the heroes of this battle against addiction.

I learned through their shared experience how to battle my demons in this world, how to lean on others and how to be grateful for my life.  I have met men in this institution who have come from far worse circumstances than me who, just as I, have been afforded the opportunity to turn their lives completely around.  The network of recovery surrounding Rogers Home is vast and iron clad.  The only thing that changes it is growth and further development.

Today I am a great many things but what encompasses me as a person are values such as integrity, honor, and humility.  I owe my life to Rogers Home and will do all I can to steer lost souls to the same grace I found inside those walls.  Their process is plain and simple, help others who are incapable of doing so themselves.  When that feat is accomplished, they teach us how to be successful in today’s world, how to develop inwards and outwards, and to do so without the distractions of substance abuse.  

Years later my memory and dedication remains firm to this organization and the lifelong friends I have made.  I will leave you now with an old saying that I've added my own twist to, "God has the power to move mountains, but you had better bring a shovel."  Milton, Frank, and Jose will be behind you in bulldozers.