Author Archives: Chelsey Keesy

Your contribution could help us win $10,000 to support survivors💜

Thank you to J&H Outdoors for choosing us in the first round of this year’s Bags to Riches campaign!  

Through May, opt out of a bag at checkout and receive a chip to support one of four nonprofits. J&H then donates to the nonprofits and whoever has the most chips will move on to a final round held in November and December. The top two nonprofits have a chance to win $10,000! 

First round nonprofits include: GreenHouse17, Justin’s Place, Kentucky Cancer Link, and A Running Start.  

We also have an opportunity for a Double Donation Day. On May 11th, staff members will be at J&H from 10 am to 6 pm to share information and resources. Click here to mark you’re attending on the Facebook event.

“We are all handmade, we are not meant to be perfect, we are just meant to try to be our best selves possible.”

The following reflections were written by survivors who created Handmade by Survivors products this year. They’ve given us permission to share these stories with you. 

Survivor Reflection from “T” 

I have been down many roads. Some happy, some hard, some completely unimaginable. 

Along the way, I have learned so much about myself. At times it would have been easier for me to cave in and remain in my comfort zone, stagnate. At times I did just that.  

The most important thing I learned along the way is that everything happens in its own time, in its right time. It’s a balance of willpower and fate. When you’re ready all things will fall into place.  

The true absence of freedom is fear, worry, and anxiety. I have found my way out of so many dark places, I have risen above all sorts of negativity and chains trying to hold me down and yet sometimes I find I still worry about my capability to handle it all. To navigate through my life, to make right decisions. 

Today as I worked at the farm at GreenHouse17 I had a valuable lesson resurface. We are all handmade, we are not meant to be perfect, we are just meant to try to be our best selves possible. 

Survivor Reflection from “M” 

Lathering up hope, 

Kitchen sizzles with delight, 

Charred notes, 

Bright future. 

Survivor Reflection from “P” 

Today is a beautiful day. I woke up this morning. Thank you, God.  

GreenHouse17 is an amazing place. It saved my life. It was a hard time adjusting, but I survived.  

It has made me appreciate my life. Even more than before. 

I’m more humble, loving, caring for others than myself. 

Thankful & grateful. Without you God, I couldn’t have made it. 

Now I’m blooming into a flower with a face. 

I love myself again. 

Fall has arrived, bringing cooler weather, and we have an exciting collection of merch and Handmade by Survivors products to share with you!

Click a picture for more information!

September is National Recovery Month.

Amber Clemons from Voices of Hope facilitates weekly SMART [self-management and recovery training] Recovery meetings at our shelter. We welcome her as a guest blogger this month.  

My name is Amber Clemons. I am a person in long-term recovery. My substance use began in 2011 after I had my third child. I began with using prescription opiates and that quickly escalated to using heroin/fentanyl.  

During my years in active substance use I committed crimes that ended in several jail stays and even a prison stay. I lost countless jobs, friends, my children, family, myself and so much more. When I came into recovery in September 2021 it was by the grace of God that I was arrested and incarcerated.  

During the early days of my jail stay during this time I was upset that I was in jail yet again, but then something changed in me, and I was grateful that I got pulled over that night and taken to jail. I hadn’t been in recovery for almost 6 years at the time and truly had no idea what I was doing with myself or my life.  

Thankfully the Judge and Drug Court saw something in me and gave me another chance at living a life of recovery. I was released to Drug Court and sober living, which all gave me the support and accountability that I lacked prior.

Since then, I have graduated Drug Court, gained a beautiful relationship with my children and mom, am employed, and have an apartment and a vehicle. I have peace of mind and serenity with life today among so much more. 

I get to work for Voices of Hope where we meet people where they are in recovery. We provide support to people who are in recovery or seeking recovery and connect people with community resources such as clothing closets, food banks and shelters.  

We connect people to MOUD [medications for opioid use disorder] clinics or provide resources for harm reduction, connect people with treatment – whether that be inpatient, outpatient, transitional IOP [intensive outpatient] living or sober living. Voices of Hope also hosts a wide variety of self-help meetings such as AA, SMART Recovery, Crystal Meth Anonymous, Life Recovery and so many more. 

I was asked to facilitate a SMART meeting at GreenHouse17 after they heard Alex Elswick speak about harm reduction and recovery with Voices of Hope. SMART meetings are not simply about substance use but changing behaviors/attitudes and making those lifestyle changes to make better choices in the future. We also work on goal setting, values, triggers and how to properly deal with them. SMART Recovery is a meeting that can help anyone no matter what lifestyle changes they are making! 

“We are the flowers that are seeded, grown and harvested.” 

The following reflections were written by survivors participating in our nature-based healing program. They’ve given us permission to share these stories with you. 

Survivor Reflection from “L” 

My time here at GreenHouse17 is coming to an end.  I’m really happy to be moving on, but it’s very bittersweet.  I’ll miss this place, the women that I’ve met along the way, the support I’ve had from all the staff, and mostly the garden.  I’ll miss all the cats and the horses. 

I had gotten into a routine, and I was just starting to get comfortable.  I wake up early, get my coffee, sit on the back porch and watch the sun come up and then get ready for work. 

No matter what I’m doing in the garden, I love it all. 

The weeding, planting, and harvesting are my favorite and most rewarding.  It’s been so great to see the vegetables growing, especially the tomatoes and apples and the flowers. I’ve learned a lot about flowers, herbs, and just random stuff. 

I can take what I’ve learned and use it for the rest of my life and I’m so grateful for everything and everyone in it. It will always have a special place in my heart… 

Survivor Reflection From “M” 

Summer is winding down…I like to watch the beautiful butterflies and the smell the flowers. I learned how to harvest fresh tomatoes and how to start my own garden when I leave. The joy of learning new things; composting, dealing with frustrations that happen when tools or equipment fails. 

I will miss the crisp air, the sounds of nature all around, the beautiful sunflowers that shine in all their glory. I give thanks to God for this opportunity and working together with great people. 

I cut flowers, picked up the weeds, harvested veggies and fruits, and helped canned tomatoes from the garden. I didn’t realize how simple it is to can food. 

It’s very peaceful and it’s giving me much needed time to just think. 

Survivor Reflection from “C” 

Working in the garden is a memory that I will forever remember! I’m very sad to see the season come to an end. I am very proud of the things that I have learned. I am going to miss having fun and great conversation every day! I will not at all miss the grasshoppers!!  

It makes me proud and feel good that all of us amazing women have pulled together to work and meet goals, to make beautiful things happen, and to make other people smile. Just coming together as a family makes me the happiest.  

This has prepared me for going to get another job, because now I believe in myself and I know I can do anything that I set my mind to. Even the things I think I can’t, I’m still going to try!! The opportunity I have and was given is much more than appreciated. It made my life better, it made me smile again, and has given me such an amazing feeling. 

As a group of diverse women we have dedicated our time and hearts to the garden, watching it flourish and thrive, leaving us filled with warmth, accomplishment and pride. 

[It’s] given us a sense of purpose and provides a loving family atmosphere that most of us lack and genuinely need.  

We are the flowers that are seeded, grown and harvested.