I met Charity while I was an intern at the women’s Extension, and we connected right away. She was open, genuine, and truly willing to do the work to get sober. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of watching her grow and give back to the recovery community—especially to the women’s Extension—through sponsorship and…

My name is Shawn McKinney. I was born in February 1978 and raised in Marietta, Georgia. I am the owner and operator of Handyman McKinney’s L.L.C. I arrived at The Extension on September 1st, 2017. Broken from a life of bad choices. The Extension was the answer to a lot of desperate prayers. I began…

I had 6 years clean and sober, and then I turned seven years old and had my first drink. I started to drink heavily in high school and got into hard drugs in my 30s. In 2019 I spent a few months in Cherokee County Adult Detention Center and it was there that I heard…

I used to think that it was my destiny to be an alcoholic. It started so young for me that I was getting high by the age of 8. I was prescribed Ritalin at a young age, and when my mom would give it to me everyday and I wouldn’t always take it. I would…

My name is Sydney, and I was born in Jacksonville, Florida. I’m the youngest of four kids. Some of us are from different marriages, but that didn’t stop us from acting like full siblings. I was the stereotypical little sister, running around and terrorizing my siblings. I was really attention seeking, so I did anything…

Although I could use my given name, my brothers in the program had other ideas. While I was neither a lieutenant nor injured in combat during my military service, they chose to call me “Lieutenant Dan” or “LT.” I was born on a relatively normal day in a relatively normal hospital to a relatively normal,…

We are so proud to share this building with our community. While the exterior is a sight to behold, it’s what will happen on the inside that makes this building so special. Thousands of lives will be transformed creating lasting hope and healing for generations to come. Thanks to CorkHoward Construction for their unmatched generosity…

My name is Christine, I’ve been clean and sober for three years, and I bought The Australian Bakery on the square on August 1st. I grew up working in my dad’s restaurant, so food service is something I’ve always been comfortable with and thrived in. So, when I got to The Extension and had to…

Program Launched with Critical Funding from Amerigroup Foundation The Extension is pleased to announce the expansion of its evidence-based treatment program to include family education and therapy through the support of a two-year, $180,000 grant from the Amerigroup Foundation. Recognizing the profound impact of substance use disorder on the overall well-being of every family member,…

Those in recovery know how tight knit the community is, and how vital it is to maintaining their long-term recovery. Support from people who know exactly what you’re going through makes all the difference. Community bonds are the ties that hold people together when they feel at their lowest, we lean on one another and…