Program participant Gayle Brown was born and raised in Newark, NJ. In her early adolescence she began using marijuana and alcohol. In her early twenties she began abusing crack cocaine intravenously. For the next twenty five years or more she struggled with her addiction. For the next 10 years of her life she had short term periods of abstinence, unfortunately relapse was a part of her story. In early 1995, she was diagnosed HIV positive at UMDNJ. This discovery added stress to her already complicated existence; she began to abuse substances stronger than before. In September of 2007, she was referred to the PHL Program by some one who was a former program participant. By mid November 2007 she was ready to go long term in-patient. While she was at St. Paul’s we decide to call Refocus Outreach Ministry, Inc. which is located in Bridgeport Connecticut. We set-up the initial phone contact and referral to go along with her to take once she arrives there and give us a complete follow-up upon her arrival.
Today, with more than 4-1/2 months of sobriety, Ms. Brown has a part-time job with a local church as there secretary. Gayle has her own living quarters, attends regular Narcotic Anonymous Meetings and makes her day to day prayer services and bible study classes. Gayle also goes to the doctor regularly for her check-ups and she reported to me as recently as January 2008 she was undetectable, meaning her viral loads and T-cell counts are undetectable. Gayle said that one of the greatest gifts she received from the PHL Program was “hope for a brighter future for herself and her children.”
St. Paul's Community Development Corporation
456 Van Houten Street
Paterson, NJ 07501
