Addiction help center to open Lodi branch
Christian faith-based ministry began in 1958 to help addicted teens
Although Rick Souza has served as a minister in approximately 45 countries, he said he has always considered Lodi his home.
Souza first began his career as a minister with the Assemblies of God in Lodi nearly 30 years ago, he said, and approximately 10 years ago he got involved with Faith Home Teen Challenge, a Christian faith-based ministry founded in 1958 to help teenagers struggling with addiction.
“Sixty years ago, the common belief was that if you were an addict, there was really no hope for you,” Souza said. “(FHTC) is a faith-based ministry that believes in the power of Christ to set people free from that.”
FHTC has locations in 135 countries with 230 of them in the United States alone, Souza said, and they now focus more on serving adult men than teens.
Approximately 22 months ago, Souza stepped into the role of executive director for North San Joaquin Valley, which he said serves approximately 1.85 million people over seven counties.
“In my heart, I felt like God was telling me to spend the rest of my ministry in my own backyard,” Souza said.
Their men’s center in Ceres provides education and job training for those struggling with addictions to alcohol, prescription drugs and illegal drugs, Souza said, and the second and fourth Sundays of each month are “family days,” which focus on repairing relationships damaged by addiction.
“For me, the fallout from substance abuse is like throwing a grenade at a family reunion,” Souza, a former Marine, said. “Some people die, some people get wounded, but no one will ever be the same.”
FHTC will open a contact center in Lodi later this month, Souza said, where trained volunteers will be available to answer phone calls and direct people to resources that can help with addiction.
The contact center will be in a newly-remodeled office at Gravity Church, 715 S. Central Ave., Lodi, which Souza said will officially open during a citywide service on Jan. 26. at 7 p.m.
“That’s where we will share our vision for the contact office,” Souza said. “I think the community of Lodi is ripe to work together to eradicate the epidemic of substance abuse.”
Pastor Jason McEachron of Gravity Church is also excited for the contact center to open, he said, adding that his church has referred people to centers out of the city and even out of the state for addiction treatment since it opened in 2009.
“More than anything, we’re excited to see people from the Lodi Area find local options for help,” McEachron said. “If they need help or if their family members need help, we’re excited to be a part of that.”