Monica Allison ~ God Fills the Hole Left by Cocaine

When Monica Allison speaks, the rhythm of her voice brings to mind a pulpit. Indeed, you could say her story is one of death and resurrection.

“I would say I went from a life without brakes to hand-to-hand combat. In life without brakes, I was a coke/crack addict, just doing anything under the sun to suffice my addiction. I knew how to stop using, but I didn’t want to.”

As a child she was curious about the beverages that made her grandfather feel so good.

“Addiction got hold of me in the eighth grade,” she said. “I went to school drunk and puked all over... Later I was kicked out of all of TPS.”

Toledo Public Schools expelled her because of marijuana, alcohol and behavior issues. She went to Job Corps to earn a GED and learn a trade. But she was also using crack, so trouble was never far away. After surviving domestic violence, a suicide attempt and several arrests she was ready for change. It was 2005 when she was serving time in jail for a drug-related burglary.

“This is where I came to hand-to hand combat. By hand-to-hand combat I mean praying. I said, ’Help me Lord. I am so tired.’ I wasn’t new to God. God wasn’t new to me. I just pushed him aside because of my addiction.”

One blessing came in the form of Lucas County Common Pleas Court Judge Frederick McDonald, she said. Even though she had a felony conviction, Judge McDonald encouraged her.

“He said, ‘You have these goals that are good. I’m giving you a three-year sentence, but if you go to work on these goals you will come home early.’”

Monica took his words to heart, getting clean and sober, completing her GED and working. After five months in jail she was transferred to the Lucas County Correctional Treatment Facility (CTF), then on to work release.

“I love Judge McDonald,” she says emphatically. “I do. Oh my God, I love Judge McDonald.”

She was completely free in 2006.

“By then I knew that there was a change in me because of my attitude, the way I was toward people and everything...” she said. “When it was time to leave I didn’t want to go home to Mom... That was the place where I got arrested. It was where I was using drugs.”

Expecting the worst, her mother shut her out.

“Nobody else in my family does drugs,” Monica said. “Once she seen that I was really trying, that I was really going to change, that all dissipated. Today my mom tells me she loves me.”

From CTF she entered NPI’s First Avenue program, which offers housing and services for young persons who have been incarcerated. Clean for over two years, she is still active in Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous. With help from NPI Recovery Specialist Michelle Poole, she enrolled at Owens Community College, where she has made the Dean’s List.

“I’ve learned, don’t label yourself. ’I can’t do that. I’m a felon. I’m a former addict. My brain can’t handle those classes.’”

Her career goal is to help others through social work, and she has been invited to apply for an internship at CTF, she said.

“I chose social work because of the simple thing that someone was there for me.”

Monica cherishes her NPI home and sees good things coming.

“They say there’s one thing you have to change if you’re going to quit drugs—everything. I thank God, and I thank Judge McDonald... They led me down the path to NPI.”

For more information about First Avenue please call 419-473-2604 ext. 100.