Someone gave us a chance.
Long-term treatment became possible because of a scholarship.
That opportunity provided something more valuable than financial assistance, it provided a way forward when one might not otherwise have existed.
Recovery didn’t restore the life that had been lost, it created the opportunity to build something different. Through recovery came the realization that second chances often begin with something very simple: someone willing to help make the next step possible.
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Sometimes the road takes everything you know.
And sometimes, that’s where the journey really begins.
OurJerni was born from a journey through addiction, loss, recovery and rebuilding. There was a time when life had become unmanageable and the path forward wasn’t clear.
Years of accumulated choices and circumstances eventually led to losing a home, a business, important relationships and my beloved Bluetick Hound, Jerni who inspired the name OurJerni.
Entering long-term treatment meant making difficult sacrifices, but it also meant making the most important choice: to change everything.
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From one second chance came a purpose.
OurJerni was founded to help create those opportunities for others.
Through the OurJerni Foundation, support is directed toward treatment scholarships, sober living initiatives, domestic violence resources and organizations working to help people find safety, recovery, stability and a way to begin again.
We also seek to build genuine relationships with the people and organizations doing this work — listening, learning, gathering resources and connecting people with help they can actually access.
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The twists and turns lead somewhere.
The open heart at the center of OurJerni represents the unexpected events that can shape a life.
11:11 is a reminder that change doesn’t have to happen all at once. It can begin with a single decision and be lived out one second, one minute, one hour, and one day at a time.
OurJerni is built on a simple belief: everyone deserves the opportunity to begin again.
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