Jonathan Breeden: [00:00:00] On this week’s episode of The Best of Johnston County Podcast, my guest is Mark Hall of Hope Center Ministries. His group has just opened a brand new home in Wilsons Mills, North Carolina, that will house up to 30 women who are dealing with drug and alcohol addiction as they get on their road to recovery.
These women will live there for up to a year. They will get vocational training in the Johnston County area and come out prepared to work for local Johnston County businesses with a new lease on life. I think you will find it interesting as to what he’s doing and how he hopes that God works in these women’s lives the way it has worked in his.
So listen in.
Welcome to another episode of Best of Johnston County, brought to you by Breeden Law Office. Our host, Jonathan Breeden, an experienced family lawyer with a deep connection to the community, is ready to take you on a journey through the area that he has called home for over 20 years. Whether it’s a deep dive into the love locals have for the county or [00:01:00] unraveling the complexities of family law, Best of Johnston County presents an authentic slice of this unique community.
Jonathan Breeden: Hello and welcome to another edition of The Best of Johnston County Podcast. I’m your host, Jonathan Breeden, and on today’s episode we have Mark Hall from Hope Center Ministries. He’s here to talk to us about a new addiction recovery home that they’re just opened in. Wilson’s Mills, North Carolina.
What Hope Center Ministries does it is in 13 states and is international, and how you can help them help your fellow citizens. Overcome addiction. But before we get to that, I’d like to ask you to like, follow, subscribe to this podcast, whether wherever you’re seeing it, whether it’ll be on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, TikTok, LinkedIn X, or any of the other social media channels of The Best of Johnston County Podcast.
The Best of Johnston County Podcast comes out every single Monday and now has for about 20 months. So go back and listen to previous [00:02:00] episodes that we’ve had over, over the last year and a half. I think you’ll find ’em fascinating. If you love Johnston County as much as I do, this is the podcast for you.
Welcome, Mark.
Mark Hall: Thank you. It’s good to be here.
Jonathan Breeden: Alright. Thanks for coming here. We’re just wanna catch up old times, sakes. But anyway, tell the court the court, we’re not even talking about the court. I see. I gotta, it’s in there, right? I gotta go to court. In a couple of days since I was preparing for court before I came in here, tell the court what your name is and what you do.
Mark Hall: My name is Mark Hall and I’m the Vice President of Partner Relations for Hope Center Ministries.
Jonathan Breeden: Alright, and what is Hope Center Ministries?
Mark Hall: Hope Center Ministries is a 12 month faith-based residential recovery program for men and women who have suffered from addiction. It’s a post-crisis program that helps ’em to rebuild their lives.
Jonathan Breeden: Alright, and, how do people get referred to Hope Center Ministers?
Mark Hall: The residents that walk through our doors come from all walks of life and all types of referrals. We do work through admissions coordinators that we have that interview the client, speak with the client, find out what [00:03:00] their background is, what kind of needs they have, immediate needs.
But our referrals come from the court systems. They come from churches, they come from local businesses. They come from moms and dads that call at night or loved ones that call. It’s a lot of different sources.
Jonathan Breeden: Okay. So is it just alcoholics, is it just drugs? Is it a combination? Like what is your core target of abuse?
Mark Hall: It’s folks who have suffered from drug and alcohol abuse which is a very often common thread between the two.
Jonathan Breeden: Okay. And so I guess. Let’s talk a little bit about how the program works. ’cause every one of these programs is different. Mm-hmm. So how is it structured? I know it has three phases.
Let’s talk about what happens in sort of each phase of how y’all help treat people.
Mark Hall: Sure. It is three phases. The first phase is anywhere from about 30 to 45 days. The official statement is 30 days, but I refer to that as a time period where the dust settles in their life. They walk through the doors and, you know, they’re, most of the time at a point of being very beat up. They [00:04:00] come in, they get used to the routine, the structure of it. We start to address things. For example, find out if they have any outstanding legal issues what their health needs may be, what their family situation is. Do they have children, do they, have they lost children to the court systems or due to the destruction of addiction.
That’s kind of the calming down period. It also gives those loved ones. Time to rest because they’re the moms and the dads and the husbands and the wives that have been. Dreading to answer the phone call at night, and then they’ll, transition into phase two, which is the longest period that goes from that 30 day mark up to the 10 month mark.
That’s what’s called vocational training, and we partner them with companies in the community. These are, These are companies in the community that are long, longtime established companies here in Johnston County and elsewhere where we’re at, and they’re companies that will give our men and women opportunities to learn the job skills.
The jobs set that they need to build successful careers with that company. During that time those, residents in Hope Center are not [00:05:00] compensated financially for it, but they have a place to stay. They have healthy foods and there’s a lot of things that go into it. But we connect with the community colleges.
We get them the certifications and the, and help them to build their self-esteem, the life skills classes and like, you know, our men and women come from all walks of life. We’ve have. Currently have a school teacher in our program. We’ve had deputy sheriffs, we’ve had people that have worked for the bridge companies that build I 95 bridges.
And we also had people that slept under those same bridges and all. So they come from all walks of life. Everybody needs different continuing education. So we partner with the community college, we partner with that employer, and then when they hit the 10 month mark, they’re hired full-time. They become W2 employees.
And a high percentage of the men and women who graduate from our program with the companies that we partnered here with in North Carolina and Johnston County particularly, they leave the program, they have several months, couple of months of savings built up. They receive a benevolence from Hope Center, so they receive a cash gift when they walk across the [00:06:00] stage.
And then they also many of ’em have health insurance and benefits. The employers that we’re using here in Johnston County we’re now two and three years into it where they have men and women who are in supervisory roles and doing things beyond just that initial job.
Jonathan Breeden: So as part of the vocational training, do they go, do they leave the home and go to work or training at these businesses?
Mark Hall: They do. They go to that job site. Every single morning there’s folks at. at Stevens Sausage here in Smithfield, there’s folks at Guy C Lee. There’s, There’s folks at Shelco assembly and things, but they’re learning hands-on. It’s on the job training and they’re learning the product. They’re learning, first off, they’re learning the structure of showing up on time.
And Being at a workplace. And along that way too, they’re also getting other education through partnering, like I said, with the community colleges and workforce development, others out there also during that time period, because oftentimes there’s a common thread with addiction and criminal justice issues. Not [00:07:00] everybody in our program has legal issues out there. But A high percentage do because of that common thread with addiction. During that time, we try to take care of those things.
We help them navigate getting their driver’s license back if they don’t have those things. What our goal is, when they hit that 10 month mark is To be a number one, a one hire for that company and all. So it’s working. The third phase is when they’re actually earning income from it, and then also the structure becomes a, a little less structured for ’em. They have more freedom. They have their own car at that time. If they have driving privileges in their car, but it’s getting them ready for post Hope center life.
We are a faith-based organization, but as I tell people, they don’t walk in the door looking for Jesus on day one. They’re looking, walk in, looking for that hope, and they see that through others that are in front of them in the program, getting reconnected with their families, getting their children back, getting court issues taken care of, getting employment.
When a man or woman can walk through the door at the end of the day and they’re wearing a, a uniform [00:08:00] from one of the companies that I mentioned, or they’re driving a brand new vehicle down the driveway from some of these companies, that is the hope that they’re searching for. And you know, as I said, we’re a faith-based that my prayer is that they, develop their faith along the way too.
Jonathan Breeden: So when they first come in, you talk about the, their day is structured. Yes. Give some people. ’cause I mean, they need to stay busy. Yes. Right. I mean, they need to stay busy. So what are some of the things that are part of that structured day before they start going off site? For vocational trade,
Mark Hall: it’s very structured.
Monday through Friday, they wake up and start their day at some of the centers as early as 4 45. The latest is about 5:00 AM. And they all gather together. They have breakfast they gather in the morning, and the phase one folks are the ones that after breakfast, they start cleaning the house and getting it ready and getting it in good order.
They, They take care of the centers while the rest is just like at home. The rest are getting dressed, they’re getting ready to go out to vocational training or to their employer if they’re [00:09:00] hired at that time. They come back in during the day. Well, lemme go back to the phase ones during the day.
They’ve got schedule activities. I bring in different speakers every day from different walks of life different careers. We have folks that come in from the faith community and they’ll lead some classes and bible studies and things, and I’ll bring people in from the business community and all too just to, I like it when they can share the experience.
And many times those that have suffered from addiction never had the opportunity or never thought they’d have the opportunity to sit there in a living room and talk to a judge. Talk to a police officer or talk to a business owner. But then in the evenings there’s something scheduled every night.
they’re either going to celebrate Recovery, a 12 step program or they’re going to a, a a service at a church on Wednesday nights, Tuesdays and Thursdays, or free nights. Our men and women we, purchase memberships at local health clubs or gyms. So they go out on supervised visits there if they choose to work out.
Friday nights is always family support night. That’s a big night on the campuses. That’s when the families are, they come in, it’s open campus anytime, but the families [00:10:00] come in. We have dinner with ’em. We have a short program, but it’s really time to visit and reconnect and rebuild those bridges.
Saturday is a big day. It’s always a recreation activity. Our folks are going to the beach or going bowling or to movies. There’s always an activity and Sunday’s very similar and we start all over,
Jonathan Breeden: man. That’s, That’s wild. So are they getting any drug education? You have drug counselors, addiction counselors, any of that stuff there?
Mark Hall: We’re not a medically assisted treatment center, although we do work with others that do. I’m not against it at all. I think we’ve gotta get someone in a healthy spot before they can start getting better. And our focus is really on just rebuilding their lives. You know, we have what I refer to as lay counselors, which is mainly just peers or mentors that come in from different walks of life, different ministries.
We partner a lot with Joco Angels, which is a Johnston County organization. Going into some of the schools, our men and women have been in schools teaching. And really when someone that’s in this program and their life starts getting [00:11:00] rebuilt, they become a better inspiration for that high school student or that college student than any of us ever could or any sort of credentialed doctor or psychologist out there.
That’s what they relate to. So we reach out a lot and do a lot of community activity .
Jonathan Breeden: Right now in that first phase. Are they, I mean, do they, when they come, are they, I mean, because the first part is you gotta detox.
Mark Hall: Yep.
Jonathan Breeden: so they’re not coming from a hospital or mental institution. They’re coming like maybe coming in. To actually detox
Mark Hall: with you? No, we do not operate a detox center. Okay. That’s, we partner with detox. Okay. That’s what I wanna find out. ’cause I mean that’s can be medically dangerous for people We partner with medically assisted detox. That’s a dangerous thing and that, that needs the medical attention.
Okay. We need more detox here in Quality Detox here in Johnston County. We’re post detox.
Jonathan Breeden: Okay.
Mark Hall: And that’s evaluated before they come in.
Jonathan Breeden: Alright, good, because I was wondering like we helped them get through that process, right? Because I mean, you think about all the, oh my [00:12:00] gosh. Like, I mean, if you’re an alcoholic with the shakes and your blood pressure and, and all of that, like, I mean, you can really have some problems.
Yes. And I mean, you said you weren’t a medical facility. I thought that’s a little scary.
Mark Hall: So yeah, we partner. So they’re already
Jonathan Breeden: detox when they get to you?
Mark Hall: Yes. And during that initial. Interview or process. Application process, which it could start today and you could be resting your head there at night.
It’s not a long process at all ’cause we need to meet the need immediately. But during that evaluation of, they need detox, they’re gonna go to detox before they come into Hope Center, they’ve gotta be in a good, at least a clear mind to start working on themselves and rebuilding.
Jonathan Breeden: Okay. So do you. You have people that are there 24 7
Mark Hall: Yes.
Jonathan Breeden: That live there with them. Yes. In this home.
Mark Hall: Right.
Jonathan Breeden: So what are the people that live there, what are their background? Are they. Trained counselors, are they social workers? What are they?
Mark Hall: They come from all walks of life. We’ve had business leaders in there. We’ve had ministers in there, we’ve had pastors.
Our staff are not credentialed staff. It’s not a state licensed [00:13:00] organization. As I said, it’s more about rebuilding. We partner with others in the community that can provide that level of need. That level of mental health counseling, that level of medical counseling and things. Our goal is to create a, I call it good soil in a place where a man or woman can start rebuilding their lives have the dust settle in their lives, and really working on those, relationships that were burned and then also building new ones.
You know, our folks, I tell you what we’re involved with. Different civic groups and organizations where our guys are going out there and, serving side by side with folks like here in the Clayton area and Smithfield area, and even the Raleigh area.
Have family law questions? Need guidance to navigate legal challenges? The compassionate team at Breeden Law Office is here to help. Visit us at www. breedenfirm. com for practical advice, resources, or to book a consultation. Remember, when life gets messy, you [00:14:00] don’t have to face it alone.
Jonathan Breeden: So what happens if they relapse while they’re in your program?
Mark Hall: Relapse is always a possibility. I will say this, we have a very good retention rate in the program. We do a snapshot every 30 days of what we call departure rate. And the three local centers have one of the lowest, some of the lowest departure rates in the country of Hope Center, we have departure rates of around 13%.
That’s the number of people who are there on day one of the month. And 13% will, you can count on leaving during that 30 days. And they leave for all, different reasons. It could be relapse ‘ cause if you relapse it doesn’t mean you’re out of the program. But we are gonna do some, I guess you call it adjustments, some restarts, or have them move to another one of the hopes in our locations to get a fresh start.
So relapse is always something that’s there. And my biggest concern is even, and it’s with any recovery program, is relapse after they leave the program. You see many [00:15:00] people graduate from the programs and they relapse. Well, my goal is, and one of the things that we really focus on. With Hope Center is to put them in a place where maybe some of those trigger points or pressure points that call somebody a relapse is reduced, meaning full-time employment, housing, getting connected back with their kids, getting their court issues adjudicated, or at least in a good spot where they can manage it and all and keep those pressures away from. ’cause like I said, relapse is, it’s always fragile. Well, I mean, it is.
Jonathan Breeden: I’m impressed that it’s only 13%. I mean, that’s about the lowest number I’ve ever heard from any voluntary house. I mean, they’re there voluntarily there. There’s not locks on the doors. They’re not guard. Right. You know, I mean, they’re there voluntarily.
So, I mean, you must be providing a really good program. They only have 13% leave. Yeah.
Mark Hall: Well, that’s our departure rate. Now we do track after Post Hope Center, and our success rate, if you call it [00:16:00] that after 12 months, is about 68% or men and women who are still sober at that point in time.
So you gotta look at two different things, which is still very good. For the industry and for the, the ball game that we’re in. Right. It is an open campus. Nobody’s there against their will. I will say this though, with certain of the court systems and some of the counties, we have people there that are there as an alternative to incarceration.
They’re part of what’s called DRC Daily reporting centers. Right. And that’s been very successful. Okay. In in many of the. Many of the counties that have been supported.
Jonathan Breeden: Well, that was gonna be my next question is uh, do you, would you count as daily reporting center, can people come if they’re on probation?
Yeah. And I’m assuming the answer is yes. Yeah. A lot of our folks are on probation,
Mark Hall: but the probation officerss know where they’re but, but yes, they are. And I tell you what, the probation officers in Wayne County and now beginning in Johnston County. Really are getting the program very supportive. They show up at graduation.
I tell you what, it’s a, it’s an incredible event when we have graduations every month and you walk into that [00:17:00] auditorium and we have three or four graduates and maybe 50% of ’em were on probation and their probation officers standing next to ’em that night. And if they had the monitor bracelet, they’re getting that cut off or they’re getting court issues dismissed because they’re taking care of things or getting their driver’s license back.
I love it when I walk in. In fact, it happened on, happened Monday of this week. I was at the news center in Wilson’s Mills and we have a resident who’s there helping us on some construction projects and he said, Mr. All I got something to show you. He whipped out his driver’s license first time.
He’s had that in a long, and it’s a real driver’s license. It’s not a privilege license. And as an attorney,
Jonathan Breeden: you know what that means? Yeah. That, That’s awesome. That’s awesome. That’s great. So how is Hope Ministries funded?
Mark Hall: Hope Center Ministries. Our model, the way it’s set up is it’s self-funding or it, obviously private donations is big.
You know, we have donations from corporate as well as individuals and small churches and big churches. A lot of it are, a part of it is our vocational training partners. And [00:18:00] the partnership with them because they’ve gotta be supportive of the program. I like it when there’s local decision makers and people that know the, the bigger purpose, but they also realize that they’re getting a chance to meet men and women.
And we’re training men and women up to fill their workforce and to help them. And as long as they’re, I’m not sending warm bodies out to fill a void. It’s gotta be somewhere where they really, truly have opportunities. And so the funding is set up. It’s worked very well for the past 17 years of Hope Center.
I will say this, that the center here in Johnston County is an incredible exception. We have the new center on Wilson’s Mills Road that’ll be opening April 1st, and that is the, that’s the first center that Hope Center is opened. That has been a true partnership of government. Corporate and ministry, all three working outside their silos and working side by side to make this thing happen. ’cause oftentimes those, factions battle each other. And it’s worked. And that’ll also, that’s the same with the new center we’ll [00:19:00] be building over in the East Fields complex. In Selma.
Jonathan Breeden: Right. And so the one in Wilson’s Mills is for women.
Mark Hall: Yes.
Jonathan Breeden: They’re all single sex yes. Centers. Right. It is. That’s a good idea.
Mark Hall: It is a good idea. That’s the best idea we came up with. Right. That’s a really good idea.
Jonathan Breeden: You know, I’ve spent a lot of time working in the addiction world Yeah. And representing people of addiction and people in and out of prison and all that. You definitely need single sex.
Mark Hall: Yeah.
Jonathan Breeden: Facilities for sure. Sure. so anyway, so, so this one you got some money from the legislature?
Mark Hall: Yes.
Jonathan Breeden: I know you said Donna White,
Mark Hall: representative Donna
Donna White helped you. Representative
Mark Hall: uh, representative Larry Strickland and Representative Howard Penny. And Representative John Bell they formed a coalition, I guess, and they learned about Hope Center first.
And they knew my story from the very beginning and they took and ran with it. And in the last budget cycle, we were awarded some money. But it’s not just been the government money, it’s been companies and multiple churches. There’s been over 40 churches involved in helping to get this Swift Creek Road.[00:20:00] Center going
Jonathan Breeden: Well, and Hope Center Ministries is, I didn’t know this until today, like it’s in like 13 states and it’s international. So this model has worked for a long time in a lot of places around this country and around the world actually.
Mark Hall: Yes. It’s a model that, and we, you know, we put a lot of focus on the models of the centers where, one center is operating very similar to the next center, but our directors, our local directors that are connected to that local community, they do have some discretion, but it is a model that’s duplicatable and can be done elsewhere. And that’s what it’s been done with every one of our centers, and we’re constantly fine tuning it.
It’s not a perfect ministry or a perfect organization. You’re fine tuning. And I tell people that every single day I’m either, I’m experiencing chaos and confusion. I’m also experiencing an incredible emotional moment where I’m asleep somewhere. You’re gonna get those in all of it, but it is a model that’s duplicatable and it’s working.
Do I have to be a Christian to go there? No, you don’t. It’s, you know, be, being a Christian to walk through the doors isn’t a requirement. And uh, [00:21:00] conversion to Christianity isn’t a requirement of graduation either. I cannot preach a sermon. I know where my faith is, I know where my strength has come from and through my walk with Christ and all.
But what I want to do is create good soil in these houses and good opportunities for the men and women. And my prayer is three or four months down the road, they start talking about how God’s working in their lives and seeing that they don’t have to battle everything alone. And you know, I would say that the sobriety and putting these lives back together and sustainability.
It’s just a byproduct of their faith. I gotcha. But it still does come with struggles.
Jonathan Breeden: So how can people reach out to assist, whether it be their church or volunteer with Hope Center Ministries?
Mark Hall: We are always seeking volunteers. We’re seeking opportunities all the time to serve in the community.
You know, if your church your business is hosting an event, contact us. Let’s have three or four of our men from a center or women from a center go out and serve alongside. You know, I don’t like sending the whole house of maybe up to 20 or 30 people out to [00:22:00] the event. We can, but the goal is not to make it a Hope Center event.
A prime example is a Ctan club in Clayton, North Carolina. You know, there are. Old organization, wonderful leaders in the community. They are, we partner alongside of them. We’re doing actually an oyster roast next weekend. And if we send all our guys out there, it’d turn into Hope Center event. But if we can send five or six out to roast some oysters and serve some tables, and first off they’re gonna meet somebody in the community, they’re going to get a a relationship going.
That person, whoever it is, gonna dispel some of the myths out there too. And that’s about getting the men and women integrating communities. So that’s one way they can reach out. The other is volunteers. We talk about counselors. We don’t have licensed counselors. We use a lot of mentors, a lot of peer people that can come in and just, listen and be that voice of reason with them.
That goes a long way. And the other is obviously financial and they can reach out to us on our website. They can reach out to me on my personal email address. And I’d spend a lot of time going out to groups and just [00:23:00] explaining Hope Center.
Jonathan Breeden: So it’s Hope Center ministries.com?
Mark Hall: Yes,
Jonathan Breeden: correct.
And then you want to go under locations and find Wilson’s Mills to learn about the one that’s here and to give money right there to the one. Yes. Here in Wilsons Mills. How many women can be in this new house in Wilson’s Mills?
Mark Hall: The house in Wilsons Mills and the town of Wilsons Mills has been awesome to work with.
Their mayor, Fleta Byrd, and their whole staff there, the police department the citizens there have been awesome. ’cause not everybody wants this in the neighborhood, but the properties are very welcoming and very beautiful and well maintained. But, I am sorry, I got a blank.
Jonathan Breeden: Yeah, no, that’s all right. I mean, I was saying like they can reach out through the website, reach out through the website. Uh, they can They can give money there. How many women Oh, can live in the home? Yes.
Mark Hall: The zoning in Wilsons Mills is for up to 30 ladies. Up to 30 ladies could rest their head there at night.
Um, during this first year, we’re gonna cap the. Capacity at around 20 and we will grow capacity just facility wise to be able to accommodate 30. But the zoning, we always go for 30, a number of [00:24:00] 30. We don’t want it any bigger and we don’t want it any smaller.
Jonathan Breeden: Okay. Well cool, cool. So what’s your email address?
You said people could email you?
Mark Hall: My email is M.Hall, HALL at hope, H-O-P-E-C m.com.
Jonathan Breeden: Alright. mHall@hopecm.com.
Mark Hall: Yes.
Jonathan Breeden: Right. Okay. That’s how you can get involved. The last question we ask everybody on this podcast, what do you love most about Johnston County?
Mark Hall: I tell you, Johnston County is home. I’ve been here since 1989 and and it sounds like a corny answer, but it’s so true.
And that’s the friends in the relationships that I have. I’ve got many of the folks that are supporting and helping Hope Center and giving our men and women opportunities. I’ve known them for 20 and 30 years and they’ve stayed with us on this whole journey. Good and bad.
Jonathan Breeden: I tell you what, it’s a lot, a lot of great people in Johnston County.
Yes. Well, we’d like to thank Mark Hall of Hope Center Ministries for coming and being our guest on today’s episode of Best Johns County podcast. Reach out to him if you believe that your church or your organization can help him by providing places for his [00:25:00] residents to work and get involved in the community or just to give money to support this ministry.
To help people that are trying to overcome drug and alcohol addiction. They’re truly doing God’s work right here in Johnston County, and they need all the help they can get. As I mentioned earlier, please like, follow, subscribe to this podcast wherever you’re seeing it. Give us a five star review down below as well, and that’ll help raise our visibility so more people will be aware of The Best of Johnston County Podcast.
You can also tag us in your Instagram stories Best of Johnston County. Until next time, I’m your host, Jonathan Breeden.
That’s the end of today’s episode of Best of Johnston County, a show brought to you by the trusted team at Breeden Law Office. We thank you for joining us today and we look forward to sharing more interesting facets of this community next week. Every story, every viewpoint adds another thread to the rich tapestry of Johnston County.
If the legal aspects highlighted raised some questions, help is just around the corner at www. breedenfirm. [00:26:00] com.
