Three ways your giving can save lives this holiday season
One of my favorite things about the holiday season is the focus on giving and generosity. I am a big Christmas movie fan (hands down my favorite is the Muppets Christmas Carol, don’t judge). Whether it’s the Grinch’s change of heart, Ebenezeer Scrooge’s repentance and transformation, or the selfless giving of the town of Bedford Falls toward George Bailey, the stories get me teary-eyed every time. There is something beautiful about people being moved to generosity and sacrificial giving of their personal resources.
I’ve been fundraising for Rock Recovery for over 10 years now, and I am always encouraged to see how our community sacrifices and gives to those who need help and support to recover their health and joy around food.
My husband and I give generously to Rock every December (and we are Bridge Builder monthly donors, too!) and it brings me great joy to support our incredible clients who I see fighting for their freedom every day. As someone who has personally recovered from an eating disorder, I believe it is my responsibility (and also a privilege) to be able to pour into others and help them on their own journeys.
Whether you choose to support Rock because of your own personal experience or that of a loved one, I am so grateful for you and your belief in our clients and their futures.
Here are three ways your generosity will change lives this season:
Provide scholarships and direct treatment access to those who couldn’t afford it
Eating disorder treatment is extremely expensive. Cost is one of the biggest barriers that keeps people from the mental health treatment they both need and deserve. Less than 20% get the treatment they need to recover due to the cost of treatment. Rock never wants cost to be a barrier to care, and offers our unique programs on significant sliding scale rates thanks to our generous donors who help cover staffing and organizational costs. Your gift will directly support an incredible client in one of our programs to be their bridge to recovery.
Expand our programs to serve more people both virtually and in-person
We have experienced more than a 200% increase in people reaching out to us for our services in the past year. In September 2021, we re-opened our in-person programs at our headquarters in Arlington, VA, and we are continuing to scale our virtual and in-person programs across the nation. Your support will increase our program capacity to serve more people who have nowhere else to turn for help.
Empower people to get help more quickly and robustly so that they can experience healing and wholeness faster.
Early intervention is one of the keys to full and lasting recovery. The quicker we can get clients connected to our programs, the closer they will be to experiencing lasting freedom from their eating disorder. There is an urgent need to give today to help ensure that no person in our community will have to struggle alone without access to the care and support they need and deserve.
Thank you for believing that all people deserve a chance at recovery and access to the tools and treatment they need to thrive. You make this work possible, and I am grateful to have you in our special Rock community. I hope you have a wonderful holiday season. In the words of Tiny Tim, “God bless us, everyone!”
Help us bring freedom to clients and their families by giving to Rock Recovery. Click here to give today! Want to know how your support changes lives? Click the video below to hear how former Rock clients are living in freedom today, thanks to supporters like you!
Christie Bettwy serves as the Executive Director for Rock Recovery, a nonprofit that helps people overcome disordered eating by combining clinical and community care. Having gone through recovery herself, she understands the depth of emotional, physical and spiritual support needed to recover. Christie is passionate about spreading the message that freedom from disordered eating is possible. She is an active speaker and shares her story with organizations and media outlets across the country. Christie lives in Washington, DC with her husband Ryan, who serves as a pastor at their church in Northern Virginia.