2024 Annual Report
Rising to the challenge together.
STANDING TOGETHER
Chris Budnick, Executive Director
As I sit to collect my thoughts and reflect on 2024, I find myself overwhelmed with a sense of immense gratitude. Gratitude for YOU — our unwavering village — and gratitude for our incredibly talented and dedicated Board of Directors, staff, and participants. Without the tireless resolve of both groups, our mission would not be possible. But together, the power of their collective efforts fuels our ability to offer innovative peer-based, recovery-oriented services to homeless, uninsured, and underserved individuals with alcoholism and other drug addictions — as many times as it takes.
OUR 2024 MILESTONES
FREEDOM HARVEST INAUGURAL CELEBRATION
In the fall, we had the privilege of dining in style while celebrating recovery with renowned chef and Healing Transitions Board member, Scott Crawford. Known for both his culinary brilliance and his unwavering support of the recovery community and various other charitable causes, Scott graciously chose to commemorate his 20 years of recovery with Healing Transitions by hosting a dinner at our newly renovated women’s campus. The Freedom Harvest not only honored his incredible journey but also celebrated the resilience of our participants and those in sustained recovery, all while raising essential support for our mission. We are thrilled to announce that the Freedom Harvest is here to stay, and we hope you’ll join us for an unforgettable evening this October (more details coming soon). To learn more, visit healing-transitions.org/scott-crawford.
“RECOVERY CAN’T WAIT” RIBBON CUTTING
Our women’s campus expansion is finally complete, which means our participants are no longer sleeping on mats on the floor due to lack of space, alongside former Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin and former Wake County Commissioners Chair Shinica Thomas, our Village gathered in early October at our stunning new Community Center to celebrate this remarkable milestone made possible thanks to the generosity of hundreds. The RCW expansion features an upgraded shelter, new bathrooms, a renovated kitchen and dining area, and a brand-new community building for classes and peer fellowship. If you’ve yet to see the new space, we hope you’ll pay us a visit soon for your own personal tour! To learn more about this monumental campaign, visit healing-transitions.org/expansion.
FORWARD TOGETHER MAKES BIG STRIDES
It’s been just over one year since we kicked off the quiet-phase of our FORward TogetHER Capital Campaign to build a recovery community of transitional housing for women and mothers in sustained recovery. And thanks to the support of 57 key funders, we’ve already raised $6.5M to date! We’ve also started to see the vision come to life as world-renowned sculptor Thomas Sayre starts the initial stages of his second Healing Transitions courtyard to date. His first was 20+ years ago and is still standing strong at our men’s campus today. We can’t wait to see Thomas’ creative genius transform lives! To get involved with FORward TogetHER, please visit forwardtogetherht.org. or contact Chris Budnick at cbudnick@healing-transitions.org.
Special thanks to our campaign co-chairs: Charles and David Meeker (2024), Chris and Melissa Matton (2025), and Clay and Lauren Wieczorek (2026).
OAKWOOD24 HITS ONE MILLION DOLLAR MILESTONE
Yes, you read that right! This year’s seventh annual Oakwood24 run/walk surpassed the $1MILLION milestone in total funds raised for Healing Transitions since its inception! Our deepest thank you to all who’ve helped make this event the dynamic force for recovery it has become! Whether you walked, ran, sponsored, showed up, served on a committee, or donated, your support has made a meaningful difference.
And to our race founder — Jon Frey — none of this would be possible without you. THANK YOU for your dedication to recovery! To learn more, visit healing-transitions.org/oakwood24.
MONEY TALK
TOTAL REVENUE – $8,058,600
GOVERNMENT
SOURCES
PRIVATE
DONORS
EARNED
REVENUE
IN-KIND
DONATIONS
MISCELLANEOUS
SOURCES
TOTAL EXPENSES – $7,910,762
MEN’S
PROGRAM
WOMEN’S
PROGRAM
ADMINISTRATIVE
FUNDRAISING
ENTERPRISE
RAPID RESPONDER
PROGRAM
2024 IMPACT STATS
Each person who walks through our doors brings with them a unique story. For many, their path to recovery wasn’t easy and presented notable challenges. Yet, time and again, we witness insurmountable courage and perseverance. Here are three stories of Healing Transitions alumni who have risen to the challenge and are now fully embracing life in recovery.
482
PARTICIPANTS
SEEN IN CLINICS
3,218
VOLUNTEER
HOURS
4,701*
PEOPLE
SERVED
(unduplicated*)
454
AVERAGE
DAILY CENSUS
$55
PROGRAM COST
PER PERSON,
PER DAY
4,825
SUCCESSFUL
OUTREACH
ATTEMPTS
(contact made)
640
NEW DONORS
$41,592
GIVEN IN PRESCRIPTION
ASSISTANCE
166,280
BEDS
PROVIDED
72
SILVER CHIP
GRADUATES
(56 men,
16 women)
345,038
MEALS
SERVED
$6.55M
IN ALUMNI TAX
WITHHOLDINGS
$153,887
IN ALUMNI WAKE COUNTY
PROPERTY TAXES PAID
*Unduplicated persons – to accurately report how many people we serve, we count a participant only once,
no matter how many direct services he/she/they received in a year.
THE JOURNEY
MEET CHASSITY.
Chassity reflects on her journey with a sense of awe. “I never imagined I’d be here,” she says. Raised in Comfort, North Carolina, Chassity faced many challenges growing up, including the loss of her mother at a young age and being introduced to opiates at 16, which is when her life began to spiral. After her sons were taken by Child Protective Services, she knew she had to change. At Healing Transitions, she found hope. “No matter how many times it takes, Healing Transitions will always be home.”
Today, Chassity is thriving in recovery, reunited with her kids, and working as a dental assistant. “I’ve been through more sober than I ever thought I could handle. And now, I handle it with grace.”
MEET JASON
Jason was 18 when he first experimented with cocaine and pain pills, sparking a years-long battle with addiction. A car wreck, arrests, and broken relationships followed, leading him to heroin and meth. His lowest point came when he overdosed in front of his son.
After jail and losing custody of his son, Jason hit rock bottom. A simple message from a Rapid Responder at Healing Transitions just checking in on him became the turning point for him.
After his release, he found Healing Transitions. “They gave me a place to sit down and be still.” Jason is now in sustained recovery and cherishing time with his son. “I want people to know that you can come back from losing everything — a house, a car, a job, a child — everything.”
“In 2024, Healing Transitions focused on strengthening our operational foundation to better support our mission. We enhanced efficiency by updating financial processes, implementing new software systems to reduce administrative burdens, and refining policies and procedures. These improvements may happen behind the scenes, but they play a vital role in ensuring that our teams can focus on serving participants without unnecessary obstacles. By streamlining business operations, we create a stronger, more sustainable organization that continues to provide life-changing support to those in need. It’s been a year of progress, and I’m proud of our hard work to enhance the way we serve the recovery community.”
– Deborah Foshee, Director of Operations
THANK YOU!
To each of our 1,604 generous donors (640 of whom were first-time givers), our gratitude knows no bounds. To our 100+ community partners (first responders, employers, healthcare providers, educational programs, and supportive organizations in the faith, criminal justice, recovery, fitness, and housing sectors), thank you! To our numerous volunteers who dedicate their time from serving on capital campaign steering committees to serving meals in the kitchen, we thank you! And to our Board of Directors and steadfast staff, thank you for your unwavering dedication to our mission. Your involvement is crucial in helping us move our mission forward. We are beyond grateful for your commitment to stand with us!
To our Recovery Champions – our leaders in giving – our gratitude knows no bounds!