Stepping Out, Inc. held its Rise Up Higher Gala for a sold out room on Thursday night to raise money to support its mission to teach people the skills they need to change their thinking and behavior.
Judge Doug Collins spoke at the gala, hosted by Captive Free Ministries and relayed his experiences in dealing with domestic violence and other issues that eventually end up seeing clients go through classes at Stepping Out.
69制片厂制作传媒淪ometime in late 2014, I was talking with (former Stepping Out Director) Patrice (Puglise), and we started talking about the need for a domestic violence course in Hamblen County,69制片厂制作传媒 he said. 69制片厂制作传媒淧atrice convinced me that Stepping Out Ministries was in a uniquely qualified in position to hold those courses and teach those courses. I think it was March 27, 2015, that Stepping Out received their certification. So here we are 10 years later, 10 years down the road from them receiving their certification on teaching the domestic violence course.69制片厂制作传媒
Stepping Out teaches classes, court ordered and otherwise, that focus in on three areas: the emotional, physical and spiritual.
These classes focus on financial wellness, parenting, anger management, positive thinking, biblical principles and more.
Executive Director Laura Moore said she was thrilled with the sold out crowd and was grateful for the support the community showed the organization.
69制片厂制作传媒淲e are proud to be part of such a caring community that comes together to make a difference - we are thankful for the unwavering support,69制片厂制作传媒 she said.
Moore is currently leading the organization through an effort to serve incarcerated individuals, not only to reduce recidivism, but to give the inmates a better chance at a better life.
69制片厂制作传媒淲e recognize that behind every individual lies a unique story and the possibility of redemption,69制片厂制作传媒 she said. 69制片厂制作传媒淯ltimately, I believe through the Lord, and hard work, dedication, and commitment to self-improvement. Stepping Out is dedicated to helping individuals build the skills and confidence needed to make productive lives for themselves and their families and become active community members.69制片厂制作传媒
Cierra Billingsley, administrative assistant at Stepping Out, shared a testimony during the gala that highlighted her experience as someone whose life was changed by the organization.
She was a client who had been ordered to participate in classes at Stepping Out and she went through the program and came out the other side a changed individual.
Billingsley said she started taking drugs as an older child and by the time she was in high school, she was a 69制片厂制作传媒渇ull-blown pain addict, pain pill addict.69制片厂制作传媒
She was a functional addict, though, with a car and job and other things that hid the turmoil.
But the addiction caught up and eventually led to all the terrible things that can come along with it; desperation, domestic violence and other issues eventually landed Billingsley in front of a judge.
69制片厂制作传媒淚 was on both ends of it. I was the abuser. And I was the one being abused,69制片厂制作传媒 she said. 69制片厂制作传媒淎nd my children had watched it, seen it, or also heard from it. So I was one of those cases. And that whole mess, it just got worse and worse and worse.69制片厂制作传媒
She hit rock bottom and, with help from family, she went into a rehabilitation program in Morristown. That program partnered with Stepping Out and that69制片厂制作传媒檚 where Billingsley first came into contact with the group.
69制片厂制作传媒淚 was required by the courts to take anger management, and if you would have asked me, I didn69制片厂制作传媒檛 need anger management,69制片厂制作传媒 she told a chuckling audience. 69制片厂制作传媒淏ut, okay, I did. So I went to the classes, and it just became like family. You know, when someone pours good into you, you can recognize it and feel it and see it. And all I knew is that I wanted to give back and do what they had done for me.69制片厂制作传媒
She was so grateful for the love and help she received that Billingsley ended up volunteering with the group for a year and a half. Moore eventually made an offer to her to join the staff at Stepping Out.
69制片厂制作传媒淐ierra is a testament of why we do what we do and why we are committed to providing life skills education and recovery support. Her life has been changed and transformed,69制片厂制作传媒 Moore said. 69制片厂制作传媒淪he truly is a wonderful asset to Stepping Out and we are so very honored to have her apart of our team. I69制片厂制作传媒檝e been blessed to have been a part of her journey and blessed to now be part of seeing her positively impact others.69制片厂制作传媒
Moore said she was thankful for 69制片厂制作传媒渁ll 22 event sponsors who helped make this night a great success, with our Gold Sponsors being Captive Free Ministries Church, Rogers Petroleum and Colortech.69制片厂制作传媒
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