addiction recovery - WKTV Journal

Arbor Circle will celebrate contributions that enabled the launch of the Thomas J. Bullock Memorial Fund (Courtesy, pxhere.com)

By WKTV Staff

Arbor Circle will celebrate the launch of the Thomas J. Bullock Memorial Fund at their upcoming Spring Forward event on May 22.

Thomas J. Bullock, a pioneer in substance abuse treatment and recovery, was the inspiration for the Thomas J. Bullock Memorial Fund. His too-short life is honored by opportunities Arbor Circle and the
Fund will present for addiction professionals and the broader community to learn together.

Creating opportunities to learn and reflect

Thomas J. Bullock (Courtesy, Arbor Circle)

The Thomas J. Bullock Memorial Fund was established through a monetary gift by James and Barbara Haveman.

“We are grateful for the opportunity to honor Thomas Bullock in this way,” shared James Haveman, co-founder of the Fund and former Director of the Michigan Department of Community Health. “This fund will create opportunities for substance use professionals to learn alongside one another and reflect on the current environment of treatment and where we might go together.

“We chose to entrust this work to Arbor Circle because of the organization’s commitment to accessibility, inclusivity, its creativity and their quality of services.”

Celebrated at annual event

In celebration of the professional contributions of Bullock, the Fund will underwrite an annual event for the West Michigan community focused on a variety of topics surrounding innovative and proven models for recovery in the field of substance use and addiction. The annual event will be hosted by Arbor Circle.

Arbor Circle will launch the Fund at their upcoming Spring Forward event on May 22, from 6–8 p.m. at the Grant Pavilion in Millennium Park. Spring Forward will raise funds for Arbor Circle while giving guests opportunities to learn more about Arbor Circle’s programs and impact. Jeffrene Woods, daughter of Bullock, will attend this year’s event.

To learn more about the Thomas J. Bullock Memorial Fund or the Spring Forward event, click here.

Finding work can be hard enough, but just imagine how difficult it would be if you had an addiction. This is a fact of life for many folks.

Guiding Light’s Back to Work program provides a short-term stay for men who are employed or seeking full-time employment, allowing them to save money while they look for permanent housing. Other programs assist in addiction recovery, finding full-time employment and affordable housing.

Men in the program sleep in a men’s dorm and eat meals at Guiding Light. They receive job coaching, training in techniques for searches, and daily encouragement and advice. They have use of a computer lab for online job searching, email and résumé preparation. Phones are also available for local calls. As needed, they are provided with transportation and prerequisite necessities to accept a job offer.

The Back to Work program is a smart and strong solution for promoting financial independence through work. Each year, millions of dollars are funneled back into the local economy because of the emphasis Guiding Light has on helping men find and hold steady employment.

Guiding Light receives no government funding or insurance. All programs are funded by individual donors.

Each donation provides a man with the tools and resources to rebuild his life and re-engage with community.

Guiding Light is located at 255 Division Ave. S in Grand Rapids. For more information, call 616.451.0236 or email info@lifeonthestreet.org.