With so many difficulties in your life, it's hard to know how best to ask for help.

Caara Williams moved to the Rogue Valley two years ago because of her husband's job. Soon after the move, she and her husband divorced. She couldn't drive because of a DUI conviction, so she found herself with no money, no support network, no transportation.

“I went over the edge. I was unemployed and couldn't find anything. I was either too old, too young, overqualified, underqualified,” says the fifty-something Williams, a former city planner and architect.

The red tape required for help at the social service agencies she approached left Williams feeling tired and demoralized. One Sunday, she saw a Help Now! brochure at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Medford and made a call.

“She first asked us to help get her driver's license back—talking about needing help with an administrative snafu between Idaho and California that was preventing her from getting back the license. During that first conversation, I sensed she had been drinking. When she came in to meet, that was confirmed for me,” says Eric Wood, Help Now! advocate.

Wood knew that helping Williams get her license back was not what she needed first.

“The drinking was the root of the matter, behind the other issues she presented. I knew she wasn't ready to be driving again, so I suggested she get counseling,” Wood adds.

Wood and Help Now! Executive Director Larry Kahn decided that the best course of action was to refer Williams to the ARC ( Addictions Recovery Center ) for an assessment, a step required before the counseling could begin. Because Williams' financial situation was precarious, Kahn contacted his counterpart at the ARC, Chris Mason, about waiving the assessment fee, and it was arranged because of the availability of some grant funding.

After the assessment, group counseling was next for Caara, but she balked at that having had bad experiences in group settings previously.

“Help Now! found me an individual counselor. The man is retired, and he's doing this without charging me. He's great! He has a plan for me for each week, which is about as far ahead as I can plan at this point,” Williams explains.

Williams has found intermittent employment through the Job Council and has had her driver's license reinstated.

Recovery is a long road, but Williams is taking it one week at a time.

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