MARIANNA, Fla. (WMBB) — The old Marianna Middle School has new life and a new purpose.
It’s been transformed into a rehab facility for men.
“The vision here is to take men that were just lost, whether it be from addiction, criminal background, just whatever the story may be and bring them in,” CHROME Retreat and New Orleans Mission Operations Director David Stepp said.
The CHROME retreat is a Louisiana-based program that will support men recovering from drug addiction, mental illness, depression, and homelessness.
Their goal is rescue, recovery, and re-engagement into society.
Stepp said he knows the impact of these programs because he went through it himself six years ago.
“I struggled with addiction throughout my life. And I mean, I tried secular treatment and different programs, and it worked for a little while,” Stepp said. “I never had much clean time. “When you graduate here, it’s not like this, ‘here’s your certificate, you just graduated. You know, you need to have a good job, a savings account, a pastor, a mentor, everything’s going to be put together for you, and it will be.”
Stepp said the program has a 90% success rate.
25-year-old Erik Combs found himself in New Orleans last year living out of his car.
The program helped him start a career in ministry.
“It was January 22nd when I actually joined the program,” Combs said. “So I came in off of the streets in New Orleans, which is where I was doing the street ministry. It was cold so I had a warm bed, a warm shower there, and also a shelter program at that time. “This program also trains you how to be a minister and how to work in ministry. Now, I’m just kind of on the path along with that.”
The facility will house 75 men.
Phase two will add space for 150 more.
“The one thing I can say is that it’s just a privilege watching guys come in here at their lowest and find healing with God,” Combs said.
The CHROME Retreat is located at 4144 South Street.
They’ll begin a “soft opening” on January 17.
