“To Come to SouthLight is an Opportunity to Survive”

Durham Peer Support Program helps a young woman gain trust and motivation on her recovery journey  

“SouthLight has helped me to better myself in the addiction world. They’ve been very reliable, meaning that there is someone that’s always there with an open door.”

A young woman shared these words as she was leaving our Durham location with a box full of fresh fruit, vegetables, peanut butter and other staples. On Thursdays, SouthLight partners with the Food Bank of Central and Eastern NC to provide food and supplies to people receiving our services.

In addition to providing support and services for mental health and substance use, SouthLight helps our clients address basic needs such as food, housing, jobs, access to healthcare and more.

Changing Lives, One Story at a Time

This young woman was eager to share how SouthLight helped turn her life around.

This is her story, in her own words:  

SouthLight has given me motivation and trust. 

SouthLight has helped me to better myself in the addiction world. They’ve also been very reliable, meaning that there is someone that’s always there with an open door. They talk to you about things that you really can’t talk to just anybody about.  

They also make you feel as though you are family, but not just as a program, or as a client or a peer counselor. The one-on-one time; that’s something that’s unforgettable.  

Initially, with my addiction, things were hectic. I experienced homelessness. I was in deep poverty.  

Now, with the program and the schooling that I have, and the resources that SouthLight has given me, I’m no longer homeless. I have a place of my own. I’m seeking employment. I am getting benefits that I didn’t even think were available.  

I’m not completely full and complete along my journey. This is where SouthLight comes in. They helped me along the way. I’m almost at that point, and even when I get to that point, I’m still going to continue to do my part here. This is unforgettable. 

I still come here to check-in. They’re always here. There’s never a closed door when you come here, and for them to do that, I appreciate that. I would never stop coming here. To come here is an opportunity to survive. 

About SouthLight Healthcare:

Founded in 1970, SouthLight Healthcare is one of the area’s largest nonprofit providers of substance use treatment and mental health services. SouthLight partners with individuals and communities to provide innovative treatment solutions delivered with compassion and dignity. With outpatient and community-based programs, SouthLight provides prevention, education, and treatment services in the Triangle and beyond. Call 919-787-6131 for help or more information or visit www.southlight.org.