Hope Is Alive And Jasco Partner To Brighten The Lives Of Those In Recovery In Oklahoma

Making a house a home is the goal of one Oklahoma nonprofit. Hope is Alive Ministries gives those recovering from addiction a place to live and change their lives. This holiday season, the group partnered with a local business to help brighten their time there.

Partnership Enhances Support for Residents

Through a collaboration with Jasco, four of the recovery homes in Oklahoma City are decorated in festive lighting to give residents a sense of community, all year long.

“We are a big, big family and that's something which we really hang our hat on,” said Shawn Baker, Community Outreach Coordinator with Hope is Alive Ministries. 

Baker became a part of the Hope is Alive family as a recovering alcoholic, and now he works with the nonprofit to help others.

“We have men and women coming in and out and graduating two or three times a year,” Baker said.

Hope is Alive Ministries Offers Recovery and Belonging

Hope is Alive offers mentoring homes to recovering alcoholics and drug addicts, where they can live while they continue their journey to sobriety.

“The homes help them basically give them a sense of belonging,” Baker said.

Starting with one home 12 years ago, Hope is Alive Ministries has grown, offering 26 homes in six states, 12 in Oklahoma, where both men and women can live as a group to develop life skills and restore relationships with their families.

“Isolation is the enemy of those of us that have gone through this program and community is what helped bring us together,” Baker said.

Jasco Lights the Way for Community Togetherness

To help foster this togetherness, Jasco, a family-owned consumer electronics company, is installing outdoor LED lighting to four of the homes.

“For those special occasions like Christmas and Halloween, they can do birthdays, whatever's important to you and the touch of a button on your app you can change those colors and make it super festive and a fun place to be,” said Jeff Cato, VP of Marketing and Ecommerce for Jasco.

Cato says the company gives back 50% of its profits to charity to brighten the lives of those who need it most.

“It's about not just business but it's about a difference and giving 50% back of our profits,” Cato said. “I think we need to see more of that, if there's one thing that people can get out of this, it's maybe ‘our company needs to partner with a local nonprofit.’”

As a former resident, Baker believes the people who live in the homes now are feeling the warmth of support, reflected in the festive glow from the new lighting.

“They feel very valued, and they feel that they're a part of this community and when they see someone come in and pay attention to them a sense of belonging where they may not have had that before,” Baker said.

Hope is Alive has an 80% success rate for those who have graduated from the program and remain sober for over a year. For more information on Hope is Alive, CLICK HERE.

For more on Jasco and LED lighting, CLICK HERE.