By Donna-M. Feno, Executive Director

A warm springtime hello to everyone.

On February 19, 2004, N. Phoenix Visions of Hope Center passed through its infancy life stage and celebrated its 1 birthday. The party was well planned by the member committee and we had fun. To everyone’s delight, our membership has grown to 225. Some members come in daily while others come in on different days of the week. It has become average to serve over 105 members on a weekly basis.

During this past year our own unique, gentle, caring, friendly Center personality and pride of ownership has been developing. Self esteem, confidence and creativity have rapidly been increasing. Members and staff offer their own experiences, their own resources and solutions that worked for them while helping other members move forward in their lives... This is the success that we are experiencing of peer support and recovery in its purest form.

People who visit us say that they were so surprised to see such a bright and comfortable atmosphere. They speak of seeing smiles on member’s faces, the healthy sound of laughter resonating from the different rooms, as people socialize, play games and make puzzles, work on arts, crafts, personal computer projects, and using the exercise machines.  I often stand with these visitors in the doorway of the Conference Room named in memory of our friend, staff member, peer supporter and advocate, Bryce Smith, as we listen to the music of budding musicians and watch the satisfaction of the karaoke performers.

I see these visitors raise a surprised brow as they view members intently learning educational and daily living skills as well as learning new hobbies and some pre-employment skills in small groups.

They seem awed by the Jo Ann Hayden Library, named in memory of our friend and pioneer advocate of Peer Support and Recovery for Seriously Mentally Ill people in Arizona, and one of the Co-Founders and Board Member of Behavioral Health/Consumers In Action, Inc., our parent corporation. This Library now contains over 2000 cataloged donated books and periodicals in just about every category found at public libraries.

Triple R Behavioral Health Services, Inc. donated computers and a 1997 Dodge Caravan to us. We have hired a transportation person who can now offer rides to members who have no other way to come to the Center and live in the N. Phoenix area.

It has been heart rendering to see the members wearing brightly colored and relatively new outfits from the generous clothing and other items that have been donated to the Center this year.

Visitors leave the Center saying how they will be back or saying that they have someone they want to bring back and tour the Center.

This 1st year has far exceeded our envisioned expectations of services that we thought we would be able to provide.

Presently, we need to expand our Center, by 2000 sq. feet, due to our unexpected growth. An expanded lease is presently being offered by our landlords, Ralph and Roger if we can meet their generous time deadline to accept their offer of additional space.

We need to enclose our back patio with fencing to end the miserable dust storms that occur every time a big service truck or speeder passes by in the public business service alley.

It will take another miracle or two. We need some large donations from our friends. So please, if you are reading this, help us rebuild our lives.

I wish to thank all of you, members, staff, volunteers and loyal friends for your support and believing in miracles.