Written by a resident of COTS’ Women’s Program I came to live at COTS after being in treatment for my alcoholism. I knew that I couldn’t return to my old surroundings, so I made the decision to separate myself from my grown children and recreate… Read More
A young man’s journey from addiction to independence “Don’t ever use drugs….they caused me financial, legal, relationship, and emotional problems.” Garret is a 23-year-old resident of the COTS Young Adult Program. He came to COTS after going through treatment for his addiction at The Mooring… Read More
Jeremy moved into COTS because, “I was homeless in that I would have wound up on the street.” Jeremy had been in and out of the hospital three times due to his excessive drinking. The third time, he decided to go into treatment at The… Read More
“I was struggling to figure out who I really was,” explains Jake. In his early 20’s, Jake began examining his identity. His family did not support his ultimate decision, and they kicked him out of the house when he was 20. He was able to… Read More
Written by John Polakowski As COTS’ Aftercare Coordinator, my activities and duties vary from one day to the next and tend to keep me very busy. Thus a typical day includes interaction with current and former residents. I do enjoy making contact and keeping in… Read More
“I separated from my parents and family because of abuse, and they did not want me anymore.” To the outside world, it looked like Amanda’s life was on track. She was at Lawrence University studying music education when her family’s abuse reached a new level and… Read More
A former resident learns to socialize and stay sober “Drinking is the root of all of my evil. It destroys my functionality,” says Jay. Jay came to COTS after going through six months of treatment at The Mooring House. He had spent most of his… Read More
We wanted to “share the love” by creating a video Valentine for all of our amazing supporters! Click here to watch the video on YouTube. Thank you for all that you do to help our residents transform their lives!
For the past few years, COTS has sought to initiate programming for area veterans in need. Towards the end of 2014, COTS began collaborating with the Fox Valley Veterans Council in order to provide a safe and stable place for veterans as they wait to… Read More
Resha was a typical college student who, in her own words, “wasn’t great at budgeting.” She graduated without having a job lined up or a concrete plan, and moved in with a friend. After a series of financial missteps, she found herself with a lease… Read More