It was extremely eye-opening to hear from Carol Rostucher, the president of the organization Angels in Motion, about the work the organization is doing. Angels in Motion delivers weekly “blessing bags” with food, clothing, and personal hygiene products to people with addictions living on the streets. The organization also helps people with addiction get photo IDs so they can get into treatment. Treatment centers require IDs and centers have been written up by the city in the past for taking people without IDs.

Rostucher stressed that being there to support people struggling with addiction and simply not judging them can really help them. She pointed out that oftentimes addiction stems from childhood trauma. When someone elects to live on the streets, it’s a sign that something else is going on with them.

Rostucher also discussed the barriers for people in recovery. Not working is a huge barrier for a lot of people in recovery. Some people need a job to keep them busy and keep their minds working. Unemployment in recovery can be even more difficult for women than men because men often decide to go into construction. Waitressing and working at convenience stores are popular jobs for women in recovery. However, the service industry environments can sometimes be a bad environment for a person with an addiction. Women also face other barriers to treatment, like fewer beds and treatment centers to begin with.