2017 November PASO Magazine

RESTORATIVE PARTNERS COMES TO PASO
The Language of Humanity Survive to Thrive
CHAPTER 2 By Chuck Desmond
Last month in PASO Magazine, we explored
the foundation of a relatively new
program called RESTORATIVE PARTNERS.
We'll now look at this important work being
specifically done in Paso to help women suffering
from addiction to rebuild their lives.
I know you still have last month's issue so
might I suggest you read (or re-read) that
chapter beginning on page 40 before starting
this one.
Addiction doesn't play favorites. It's ruthless
and it'll take whomever it can snare.
Here in our county, it's hard to imagine
there are women who are trafficked. It
happens. Often to gain control over them,
drugs are introduced and from then on, addiction
owns its slaves until there is an intervention.
And even then, it probably won't
“hold” unless there are follow-on programs
for the few who have a chance to break free.
Children, soccer moms, stressed dads,
the homeless, unemployed, the privileged
and the not-so-luckys are all prone to drug
and alcohol abuse that leads to escalating
crimes. That's bad enough, but what is far
worse is the ripping-apart of families — principally,
children who are taken away and put
into the foster system.
Too often, the father in the picture is long
gone and the moms are deemed unable to
care for the children. They are so close to the
edge that only a slight nudge can knock them
spinning out of control. When these are piled
up on the back of a 'usually younger' woman,
it's simply being boxed in with nowhere to go
and no way out. Awful! For everyone! And, it
exists right here in our safe pueblo!
Most people agree that humans are born
with an innate hidden-gene to be good
and caring. It's “life” that shapes the course
of that path toward either end of the bell
curve. Each of us undoubtedly knows folks
on both ends.
When Sister Theresa Harpin began Restorative
Partners, one of the first things
on the list was having children of the women
she served, to be in reunited families.
Fund-raising to pay for children's transportation
is always on-going. Children-Jail-Addiction:
three words that don't belong
together, do they?
How in the world
does one get people
coming out of jail
for substance-abuse
and a criminal lifestyle
back together
with their families and
start over? Bigger
still — how does one
keep the cycle from
Sister Theresa Harpin
repeating itself — and, how are people and
resources to be found who can put those
programs together?
As the committed-to-sobriety men and
women are scheduled for release, they
have to be ready and that requires help. The
call for help went out.
Everyone has uttered the words,“There
but for the Grace of God, go I.” Soon,
big-hearted, dedicated and caring people
began to come out of the woodwork. Their
saying became,“There but with the Grace
go I.” Mentors, funds-raisers, retired professionals,
community members, Cal-Poly
faculty and interns signed on to help Sister
Theresa and her work.
Sister was much more at ease in her comfort
zone of South SLO County. She knew
her way around, knew the people and she
knew the issues and challenges of her mission
to 'get in the face of addiction's victims'
and do something about it. Up here in
Paso, it was foreign territory.
Two homes in Los Osos — one for men and
one for women — were acquired and began
Restotative Partners is the work of many hands. Please see RESTORATIVE page 18
16 PASO Magazine, November 2017