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Appeared Originally in the Beacon November 21, 2019
PATERSON Almost three months after a five-alarm fire destroyed the 410 Straight Street building of Straight and Narrow here, Diocesan Catholic Charities has been in awe by the outpouring of support from the local community, the faithful and service organizations, who reached out in the midst of such a loss.
Scott Milliken, CEO of Diocesan Catholic Charities, said, “We want to thank everyone for their support over the past months. During the first few weeks, our phones have been ringing off the hook from those reaching out to help. We also thank our sister agencies – Catholic Family and Community Services (CFCS) and Department for Persons with Disabilities (DPD), for the assistance they’ve given to Straight and Narrow. We’ve witnessed how so many have come together during the time of such a disaster.”
The fire had displaced 50 men living in the halfway house that was destroyed including Bruce Strickland, who was served by S&N at the time of the fire. Bruce lost everything he owned including one personal item – a set of partial dentures. With the kindness of a dentist in Paterson, the dentures are being replaced and in addition, Catholic Charities staff members have driven him more than two hours back and forth to the dentist. Bruce has since returned home to Burlington County in southern New Jersey after completing the halfway house program on Sept. 15.
Bruce said, “I made a bad decision and that is how I ended up at Straight and Narrow. The N.J. Drug Court required me to go there, which helped me become a better person. At Straight and Narrow, I learned the main thing about addiction and recovery is that it’s a thought process. I had to change the way I thought. My life has transformed by changing my whole thought process. Once you do that, good people come into your life.”
Now 17 months clean and sober, Bruce is working and moving on with his life. He is grateful to his family and other support system, who never gave up on him. He is also grateful to some of the staff at Straight and Narrow and the other Catholic Charities agencies. He especially notes Scott Milliken’s support. Bruce said, “Scott has gone above and beyond for me and he’s a Godsend. I’m just grateful because a lot of people in his position would forget but he’s a great and caring man.”
At S&N with its main headquarters located in downtown Paterson, more than 60,000 people have been served since its creation more than 60 years ago. Today, the center operates short and long term men’s and women’s drug and alcohol treatment, a detox medical hospital, adult outpatient treatment, the Msgr. Wall Social Service Center for people struggling with opiated addiction, the Intoxicated Drivers Resource Center and the halfway house program for men participating in the N.J. Drug Court System. Due to the fire, men in the halfway house program are housed in its Passaic facility.
In addition to the drug and alcohol rehabilitation, S&N also offers a medical day care center for individuals with special needs, operates two low income housing facilities in Paterson, has two early childhood education and learning centers providing quality childcare to the children of Paterson’s low-income families and runs the Family Success Center, a community center providing services to individuals and families of Paterson and surrounding communities. The work that S&N does is vast in Paterson and beyond.
There are plans to rebuild on the 410 Straight Street site that will better and more efficiently serve those with addition. In-kind donations of toiletries and gently used clothing are still welcomed at CFCS’ Father English Center site. Volunteers are needed to help sort donations the 100s and 100s pounds of bags already received.
Milliken said, “We thank Bishop Serratelli for his constant support and to those who will support the Bishop’s Annual Appeal and Catholic Charities. Your help allows us to continue our work in helping those in need.”