People In Recovery Find Refuge In Anaheim Rehab During Christmas Holidays

Anaheim, California – Spending the holiday season alone can be difficult, especially for people who are recovering from addiction. Anaheim Lighthouse, a drug and alcohol recovery facility in Southern California, is opening its doors to its alumni members who have no place to spend the Christmas holidays.

On Christmas Eve, Anaheim Lighthouse will host a gift exchange, raffles, games, and an Italian dinner. The festivities will continue until Christmas Day as the facility will be open to alumni members who are looking for a place to celebrate.

Jocel Bibera, alumni relations coordinator of the Lighthouse, said that while many of their alumni can be present with their families during Christmas for the first time in many years, quite a few of their graduates are away from their loved ones. These are the alumni who have chosen to relocate to Orange County from other counties and sometimes, even other states.

“Holidays are a challenging time especially for those early in recovery. It’s important to our community that we can offer safe, sober, and meaningful events for those who choose to spend the holidays with us,” said Bibera.

Bibera added that several alumni members have also volunteered their time to help out with the preparations.“Of course, our Christmas events will not be complete without service opportunities for our alumni, who are excited to help set up and serve food to our guests and their families.”

Jesse Gray, Lighthouse alumnus and support staff, shared that this will be the second year he will be spending the holidays with the Lighthouse family. Last year, he volunteered as an alumnus, and this year, he will be joining the festivities as a Lighthouse staff member.

“Although I work here now, I still encourage other alumni members to be of service by helping out during these events because I know first-hand that it helped me in my early recovery. It also allowed me to give back to the place that helped save my life,” said Gray.