“I guess you could say, when we met in 2016, drugs brought us together,” Joseph says about his seven-year relationship with his partner, Anicia.”

Both of them had endured severely traumatic childhoods that robbed them of their innocence and destroyed their self-esteem. They learned early that drugs could mask the pain they felt. Yet drugs led them into a lifelong struggle with addiction.

Drugs may have brought them together—but soon drugs threatened to tear them apart.

AS ANICIA AND JOSEPH CELEBRATE VALENTINE’S DAY, THEY ALSO CELEBRATE YOU!

“When we got together, I felt like my life really started,” Anicia says. “We both said we wanted to change things, but we didn’t. Drugs took us downhill and we started fussing and fighting about everything.”

When Anicia gave birth to their daughter in 2018, she and Joseph tried to get clean, but they relapsed a year later and their relationship continued to suffer. Finally, in late 2021, Joseph had enough of drugs. On New Years Day, 2022, he came to Union Rescue Mission. He hoped that Anicia would join him, but she wasn’t ready to change. It would be another six months before she decided it was time, and she too came to URM.

“I had such low self-esteem since I was child, I didn’t think I deserved a better life,” Anicia says. “When I truly believed I did deserve it, I really prospered here. God and all the people around here inspired me, believed in me, and cared about me. I haven’t had that before. They never gave up on me. They held me accountable and they became family to me. I really believe that’s what changed my life.”

Joseph says that the people at Union Rescue Mission helped him deepen his faith and trust in God. “I was reborn here,” he says. “The Bible classes and constant prayer, it got me back in touch with God. I’ve been so blessed and I’m a caring person now.”

“Thank you so much for taking a chance on us,” Joseph says. “Your investment in us saved our lives and our relationship.”

Their experience at URM also renewed their relationship to one another. “It’s 100% better than it was,” Anicia says. “I’m so grateful for him and I love him so much. He’s my partner and my best friend.”

“Anicia is my love,” Joseph adds. “She’s my all in all.”

Today, Anicia and Joseph work full-time at Union Rescue Mission, where every day they’re reminded of how far they’ve come—and how grateful they are for friends like you.