Dan Chamberlin’s Story
“My name is Daniel Chamberlin and this is my story of how I came to Trinity.
Over the past five years, I’ve been in and out of programs and shelters, but always end up back to my alcohol addiction. I’ve been in the food and beverage industry for 15 years. I have been employed from a line cook all the way up to an executive chef and general manager, cooking across the nation, losing every job I’ve had. Then God brought Officer Fisher from the St. Augustine Police Department into my life. During the last few months of 2018 and early 2019, I got to know him while I was homeless hanging out in parks with friends he knew. I was usually drinking, but he let it slide.
I never caused any problems, and then on February 18, 2019, he was on his usual visit and asked me if I was getting tired of my current lifestyle and if I would like to check into a program. I said yes, and then he asked me to do him a favor and dump out the bottle I had in my backpack when he left, and to meet him and his partner at 8am the following morning. He was taking me to Jacksonville for help since St. Augustine only has short term programs, which I also agreed to. On the way to Jax, he laid down a challenge/goal for me to commit to six months in a program, and after that, he wanted to see me on the Food Network’s cooking challenge. WOW! “Ok,” I said.
Once I got into Trinity’s Lifeline Program, things started happening very fast. I worked in the kitchen and became part of the program leadership team as a kitchen leader. After completing the Lifeline, I was eligible for the TrinityWorks program. Along with growing spiritually and maintaining my sobriety, I was able to work. I changed occupations from being an executive chef to being a worker at a demolition company, where I quickly rose to a supervisor role, even traveling out of town on several occasions for work. Since graduating from the program, I have spent my free time restoring Trinity Rescue Mission’s transition house, and have been able to volunteer in the kitchen at the mission and plug into the church.
It has been a blessing to watch Dan grow his relationship with the Lord. From living a life of addiction to helping those with addictions, Dan has continued to help others who walk through our doors. With over 1,500 homeless in our city alone, it takes amazing volunteers like Dan to help feed and shelter them. Dan, we are so thankful for your dedication and hard work!
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