>St. Francis House has fulfilled its mission in many different ways since its founding in 1970. Its first ministry was to provide outreach to the surrounding neighborhood including after-school and summer programs for neighborhood youth.
Donald Woolfolk was one of those young people. “I lived just around the corner and we could go after school and get help with homework or do activities. In the summer, they would arrange field trips and parties. People would have us over to use their pool. That was how I learned to swim, swim lessons through St. Francis House. Our favorite people were Mrs. Lewis and Mrs. Fennell. I remember we just called them the two grannies, our white granny and our black granny. We even had a baseball team. I was on the team all through high school. I remember we had donated uniforms…and they were wool. By the time we got to a game we were sweating. We were kind of a ‘bad news bears’ kind of team. I don’t think we ever won a game, but we had a lot of fun”.
After high school, Donald worked for Children’s Hospital and joined the National Guard. He Joined the Air Force in 1980. While in the Airforce he married, but the marriage failed. He began abusing marijuana and alcohol and in 1989, was shot in a drug-related shooting. A shattered femur led to multiple surgeries and after he left the hospital, his drug use increased and led to a cocaine addiction. He remarried, got sober, and stayed clean for five years. Then he relapsed. He spent time in prison for drug charges and when he got out earlier this year the VA referred him to St. Francis House. “I moved around a lot after leaving the Airforce and my marriage failed because of drugs and alcohol. I think I was really running from my addiction, but I finally figured out that it was with me wherever I went. Once you’re an addict, you can’t go back. I thought after being sober for a while I could be normal. Have a few drinks, whatever. But you can’t go back, it doesn’t work. I know that now and I’ve got my mind made up.”
Donald is on Disability and working part-time. He is working his Twelve-Step Program, has a sponsor and is involved with his church. He’s found a place to live and is moving out of St. Francis House. Things come full circle. We’re glad Donald found his way back to St. Francis House and we are proud that he is a part of our story and St. Francis House, a part of his.
