Editor's note: This story was written a year ago for another publication which folded before the article reached the public. I feel strongly that it deserves to be published. Please read on.
Nestled in a quiet residential area a few blocks from Old Town Oxnard is a home … a home called the Freedom House.
The brainchild of a former alcoholic, Jeff Simpson, Freedom House recently celebrated 25 years of providing recovery services and a home to recovering druggies and alcoholics.
Jeff takes pride in helping people who have hit rock bottom straighten out their lives and get back on their feet. After all, he once was close to death himself before he quit drinking cold turkey. As he genuinely put it, he wanted to spend time with his children and grandchildren before his time was up.
He should be proud of what he has accomplished, both in terms of being sober for 28 years and for the passion he has for giving back to people who are or were in the same dire straits as he was. His clients, as he calls them, or residents of the Freedom House, have all had difficult lives for a variety of reasons from abuse to everyday life’s pressures to hanging out with the wrong crowd to being destitute.
Admittedly, when I was asked by a friend and good client if I would write this story on behalf of Jeff and Freedom House, I was more than a bit apprehensive. I have no experience with hard-core addicts, but I have certainly encountered more than my share of mainstream alcohol abusers and people who ingest a variety of drugs, whether it is for recreational purposes or for other reasons.
I sincerely believe that alcoholism or drug abuse has far greater social implications than affecting just the person who is addicted. My father’s father was an alcoholic who left his wife and three teenage children to fend for themselves in the 1920’s. Dad could never talk about what his childhood was like and how they survived. But his behavior as a father to me was substantially influenced by the behavior of his alcoholic father.
I bring this up because I think it’s important for people to realize that Jeff, and others who make a similar commitment to help people who are at the end if the rope, are also helping scores of others who are connected to the people he mentors.
When I visited Freedom House for their 25th anniversary celebration on Saturday, April 1, 2023, I admittedly was out of my comfort zone. Jeff’s friendliness, his positive attitude, the caring he shows for his residents, and the quality of the surroundings, immediately put me at ease. Jeff has an extreme passion for his work and wears his heart on his sleeve, as does his staff.
As a former professional chef, Jeff served an awesome lunch to his residents and well wishers who came to show their appreciation and support at the celebration.
While there, I had the privilege to meet with a chap and his fiancé who are former alcoholics. He was a resident of the Freedom House, who manages a similar program as Jeff called New Hope 2. His fiancé manages a sister house called New Hope.
I also spoke with the parents of a 40-something year old man who suffered a traumatic head injury in a surfboard accident as a teen who are extremely grateful to Jeff and the Freedom House. It is worth mentioning that there are many reasons why people become addicted. In the case of the surfer, he had a serious injury to his brain and along with the meds he took for pain, he has had problems his whole life. Will he ever fully recover? Probably not. But every parent wants their children to live life to the fullest and outlast them with few exceptions. That’s human nature.
Then I spoke to a person named Agent Samuel … a former parole and probation officer who now helps struggling and perhaps disadvantaged teenagers in the Colonia area of Oxnard. He had nothing but positive comments about what Jeff and Freedom House are doing to help the community.
The point of this story is that most of us are probably unaware of the positive impact that people like Jeff and his Freedom House have on society, and particularly our community. It’s hard for us to relate to events that take place outside our own world … like weather-related disasters, for example, in other areas.
Think about it. There is a great deal that goes on within miles, or even blocks, of our home, that we don’t have a clue about. But behind the scenes, people like Jeff are helping to heal people who are broken. When one hits rock bottom, it is important for one to be able rely on someone who has been there and who knows first-hand how difficult it is to get back on one’s feet.
The road to recovery isn’t easy. Without a support system and structure … the first few days of detox are a living hell. But that’s just the beginning of a lifelong journey which is hard work. It requires determination, commitment, sacrifice, and stay clean and sober.
Jeff is a true giver, but to be part of his program, and for any hope of living a reasonably normal life, there are hard and fast rules which one must abide by. From time to time some of the residents can become difficult. The process requires a forgiving person with a great deal of patience to deal with some of the issues yet remain firm and steadfast.
For me, writing this story isn’t about news. It’s about recognizing the effort and commitment of a unique individual who is truly helping people gain back their freedom, their self-worth, and becoming productive members of society. As I discovered, after my visit to the Freedom House, there are many more Jeff’s in Ventura County.
It has been an eye-opening experience for me and one which I wanted to share in this publication. In one article, I can’t possibly go into much detail. But if anyone is interested in learning more about Jeff Simpson, or the Freedom House, or wants to know how they can help, feel free to email me: rich@richsprague.com.
Comments