Faith's Story: Confronting Addiction in North Carolina

Faith’s Story: Confronting Addiction in North Carolina

For four years, Faith misused drugs regularly. A chance encounter with CORE gave her the resources and assurance she needed to stop, even when she was too scared to take the next step. Now, with patience, persistence, and support from her family, the mother of two is rebuilding her life one day at a time.

A few years back, Faith’s dad, John, learned about CORE at his church in Lumberton, North Carolina. Audrey Hunt, our program manager, was speaking about the Community Overdose Prevention & Education program, or COPE, a harm reduction program that supports people struggling with addiction. He immediately thought of his daughter, whose battle with substance abuse was changing her physically, mentally, and emotionally.

John introduced Faith to Audrey, who received her with open arms. She asked Faith questions about herself and talked candidly with her about her addiction. She referred her to a local treatment center, where Faith spent just two days. Still, Audrey stayed connected with Faith and her parents, constantly checking in and offering guidance and resources to help everyone navigate the difficult reality. COPE is all about meeting people where they are—even when they aren’t quite ready to receive help.

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Finally, after four years of using—marked by losing custody of her son, several overdoses and failed detoxes, and numbed emotions—her body was exhausted, and she was desperate to quit and get help. Plus, she was pregnant.

Faith went into labor in 2024 and started detoxing immediately after. Despite the grueling pain of the following days, she was determined to change her trajectory. She worked with Audrey to find a recovery center close to home and admitted herself shortly after. She shared:

“Without CORE, I probably wouldn’t even be here at all. I’m so thankful for Ms. Audrey for not giving up on us. The staff there [at the treatment facility] never gave up. They still reached out, but CORE really got me to where I am today.”

Faith is eight months sober, as of April 2025. Staying open-minded and employing coping skills (drawing, music, self-affirmations like, You’re doing good, I’m proud you) have helped her manage the toughest moments while in treatment. To Faith, recovery is a job that she works daily to improve.

Faith is also redefining her motherhood; her kids, after all, are her biggest motivation. “I’m learning how to be a mom all over again. Learning my responsibilities as a mom. I’m just thriving as I’m here, thriving and surviving,” she reflected.

Since becoming sober, she’s stepped up for them in big ways. One of the proudest moments of her recovery has been buying presents for her kids on Christmas and Easter. Faith looks forward to making more memories with them, especially her son, who she says has seen her in her lowest moments.

“He’s going to see me as the happy mom, the mom that’s playing with them, the mom that’s taking them places, playing outside with them, doing coloring books, having movie nights.”

Both Faith and her parents hope that her story inspires hope and resilience in those struggling with addiction. Their complicated journey was often filled with fear, frustration, and desperation—but always underlined by love.

Reflecting on their journey, Faith’s mom, Linda said, “I just want to say if there’s somebody out there, and your child is struggling. I know it is hard, but still try to support them. I’m not saying support the habit, but constantly let them know I love you—almost as marriage vows, I love you til death do us part.”

CORE’s COPE program is a lifeline for people like Faith. We work closely with community and tribal leaders and local partners, such as UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of North Carolina, to provide holistic care to the community. CORE and UnitedHealthcare are partnering to close the gap between acute SUD events and initiation of treatment, offering hope and resources to affected individuals. Our multi-year collaboration is part of UnitedHealthcare’s Collaborative Community Impact program, utilizing a model of engagement that brings together cross-sector partners to address health inequities and foster sustainable, community-centric solutions to local needs. The partnership focuses on raising awareness, reducing stigma, and equipping communities with tools and knowledge to better support individuals recovering from substance use disorder.

Since 2023, CORE’s community health workers, like Audrey, have successfully connected over 1,000 people to addiction treatment and mental health services, 74% of whom completed short or long-term treatment. Learn more about our work here.