By Courtney Taylor
news@wbcowqel.com
Last year, more than 4,000 Ohioans died of drug overdoses. This is part of the reason Mary Shoupe started Rally for Hope, a faith-based, nonprofit organization that helps addicts with detoxing and recovery, and also educates the families of those involved.
“God has put this issue in my heart and I can’t just stand by anymore,” said Shoupe.
Shoupe’s dedication to helping others stems from personal experience. She has been sober for 26 years now and lost loved ones to addiction.
In fact, she is so devoted that she currently has two recovering addicts living in her home. One of these is a client of Shoupe’s that she helped get to Florida for a rehabilitation program. Upon returning, she offered him a place to stay as he did not want to go back to the city in which his problem started.
“I try to do whatever I can to save the people God sends my way,” Shoupe said.
Rally for Hope is 100 percent free to those who need it and runs on donations from others, whether it be donations of time, experience, or money. Though Shoupe has outside contacts in hospitals and courts, and support from her family, she is the sole “worker.”
Other services provided by Rally for Hope are assisting addicts in integrating back into society. This includes helping them get important documents, like a valid ID or birth certificate, and also applying for jobs. Shoupe also likes to take her clients to events for fun. They recently went to see fireworks.
Rally for Hope is holding an event from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on July 29 behind the Galion YMCA. The purpose of this event is to raise more awareness about addiction. Anyone is welcome to come and share their own personal experiences or even the experiences of a loved one.
Mary Shoupe can be reached at 419-689-0695. Rally for Hope’s Facebook page is https://facebook.com/RallyForHope/ and is also listed in the Yellow Pages.