Hope Under the Tree!

Hope Under the Tree: Giving the Gift of Recovery This Christmas

Every Christmas morning, there are men and women at Ten16 Recovery Network who wake up away from their families. They’ve made one of the hardest choices a person can make — to put recovery first, even during the holidays. For many, it’s their first Christmas in treatment, a time when emotions run high and memories of home feel especially close.

The holidays can stir up deep feelings of guilt, shame, and longing. The urge to leave treatment, to buy the “perfect” present, and make everything right again can be strong. Others feel the weight of sadness so heavily that the desire to use again can feel even stronger. These are pivotal moments — when the right kind of encouragement can make all the difference between giving up and holding on.

At Ten16, we walk beside each person through this season, helping them stay focused on what truly matters: giving themselves the greatest gift of all, a new life in recovery.

That’s where Hope Under the Tree comes in. Every year, we prepare a Christmas gift basket for every guest in our residential and recovery housing programs. These baskets aren’t extravagant, but they mean the world to the people receiving them. Inside are small comforts — a warm hat, gloves, a scarf, hygiene items, and a travel mug donated by our Board of Directors. Each item is carefully selected, wrapped, and placed under the tree to be opened on Christmas morning.

It’s a simple gesture that speaks volumes: You matter. We see you. We believe in your recovery.

This year, we need to prepare 35 baskets across our three facilities. With rising costs, each basket will cost about $80, and our total campaign goal is $2,800.

And there’s an extra reason to give this year:

• An anonymous donor has pledged to match the first twelve baskets given, doubling their impact.
• Several of our Board members have generously offered to match the next five baskets after that.

Your gift today can help someone wake up on Christmas morning knowing they are not alone — that their community believes in their courage and their future.

As our campaign theme reminds us:

“Because the greatest gifts aren’t wrapped in paper — they’re wrapped in hope.”

With your help, we can make sure there’s hope under the tree for every person working toward a brighter, sober tomorrow.