March 2023 Newsletter
On Sunday March 5th, a water pipe burst under the street adjacent to our Waxahachie store. Since it was Sunday and we were closed, we did not notice the damage until the following day. We had 4 to 9 inches of standing water in the store. This caused us to be closed for 2 days. We also had to hire an expert to clean up the water and mud. Of course, we lost tens of thousands of dollars of damaged product inside the store. Clearly the burst water pipe was the negligence of Rockett Water Utility. However because of Texas Sovereign Immunity Act, Rockett Water Utility was able to claim no responsibility for any of the financial loss incurred by our homeless shelter. So, I am asking our donors to either donate financially by pressing the “donate” button on the bottom of our website or by shopping at any of our 4 thrifts stores located in Ennis, Ferris, Seagoville, or Waxahachie.
We thank you for helping us to minimize the extent of our loss.
Freddy is Turning His Life Around…
My name is Freddy B., and I’m an alcoholic and an addict. I took my first drink at the age of 10 years old. My dad drank daily, so we always had beer and alcohol in the house. One day I drank a beer and a wine cooler just to see what the deal was. I got sick, dizzy, and I started throwing up. The next weekend, I tried it again and found out that beer alone did not make me sick. I began to drink regularly and started smoking weed with a friend. By the time I was 13, I was hanging out with the older crowd, drinking, smoking weed, and doing coke. This started a spiral of trips to juvenile detention and hospitals… Thanks to the GOD of my understanding, AA and NA programs, Brent Burmaster, and Soul’s Harbor, I am happy, joyous, and free.
At the age of 25, I was a professional paint and body man, but with more money came more drinking and more drugs. At the age of 33 one day, I tore a rag and wet it with some paint thinner, like I did when I was a kid and started to sniff again. This started a battle that would last for 15 years, on and off – I just couldn’t shake it. My wife took our kid and moved back in with her parents. I was crazy about sniffing. My brother, John, got me back into another rehabilitation center. Afterwards, I drank and smoked weed, but did no hard drugs or sniffing.
I got out of the painting cars business so I would not be tempted to sniff, but one day a friend offered me a job at his new custom paint and body shop since I was off sniffing. My wife was not pleased, but the money was good. After 3 years, I was 47 and experiencing some difficulties at work, and I picked up the sniffing again. From 2017 to 2018, I had hit three different hospitals and three different rehabs. My wife left me again. I ended up homeless for two weeks before I tried to take my own life.
I finally ended up at Soul’s Harbor. I would have a place to stay and a great rehabilitation program. I really wanted a new life and was tired of the way my whole life was. I felt a type of ease at Soul’s Harbor, and it was not like any of the other places I had stayed. It was like the place was just waiting for me. I plunged myself into recovery there, and my wife started to visit me. The courts, that sent me to Soul’s Harbor, allowed me to stay an additional 3 months after my 6-month graduation.
Today, I am 4 years clean and sober. I’ve held a job for three years now. I picked up playing disc golf and heat-pressing tee shirts as hobbies. My life is so much better now. Living clean and sober – I wouldn’t have it any other way.
We need your help…
Soul’s Harbor homeless shelter is supported solely by our four thrift stores. You can donate your household items via phone (972-286-1940) or our “Household Donation Request Form” page. We also take automobiles “Vehicle Donation Request Form“. So if you have old clothes, furniture, appliances, household items, or even a car to donate to Soul’s Harbor, either fill out our online form or call our dispatch office at 972-286-1940. Our dispatch office is open Monday through Saturday from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
We are sustained solely through our four thrift store sales. We rely on your donated items to support our shelter. At Soul’s Harbor, we would like to thank all our customers that donate their items and also our thrift store customers. Because without our customers, there would be no Soul’s Harbor.
Thank you and God Bless.
Brent Burmaster
Executive Director of Soul’s Harbor Homeless Shelter
For information regarding intake/admission into our recovery facility, please contact:
Dispatch Representative
Soul’s Harbor, Inc.
13134 Nile Drive
Dallas, Texas 75253
972.286.1940
972.286.5282 Fax
Soul’s Harbor Substance Abuse Program Questions and Intake
Please contact our intake Manager
Cell number 214-663-9684
contact@soulsharbordallas.org
New Online Donation Processing:
Soul’s Harbor, Inc.
13134 Nile Drive
Dallas, Texas 75253
972.286.1940
972.286.5282 Fax
donate@soulsharbordallas.org
Soul’s Harbor can now provide the convenience of taking your donation request online. Just follow the link to our online “Household Donation Request Form”. We are also now taking vehicle donations and have an online donation processing form for this too. “Vehicle Donation Request Form”
To help Soul’s Harbor financially you can donate by clicking the donate button.