Hello friend, I’m Rich Scherber, executive director of MN Adult & Teen Challenge (MNATC) and friend of Victory Auto Service. When I was 12 years old, I was a drug addict and heading down a path to a premature death. Eventually, I was able to get help and turn my life around. But not everyone is so fortunate. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, each year, 1 in 4 adults will suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder. This immediately puts them at addiction risk. The National Bureau of Economic Research reports that people who have been diagnosed with a mental health disorder at some point in their lives are responsible for the consumption of 69% of alcohol, and 84% of cocaine in the U.S. From July 2019 to July 2020, overdose deaths increased by 22.8% according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. TOGETHER, WE CAN HELP Answering the Call to Treat Substance Abuse and the Mental Health Crisis
Minnesota Twins You don’t make it to the playoffs with the best record in all of baseball and not make it into some kind of list. The Twins are going to be a fun team to watch because they have a chip on their shoulders. While the team managed to score 269 runs in just 60 games, they also lost their record-breaking 18th straight playoff game in 2020. If they can get consistent pitching, from starters and relievers, they will be in the hunt at the end of September. Detroit Tigers There is a benefit to repeatedly being near the bottom of the league: You get good draft picks. The Tigers are on the cusp of finding that special blend of offense and defense in the coming season thanks to some much-needed depth by up-and-coming pitchers and first-round draft picks — so much so that Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com has them as the top team that missed the playoffs in 2020 who could make a solid run. This is no joke: The 2021 Major League Baseball (MLB) season will begin on April 1. While you may wonder whether the Los Angeles Dodgers can repeat as champs or if the Tampa Bay Rays can exact their revenge, don’t count these four teams out just yet. DON’T COUNT THEM OUT 4 Teams to Watch This Baseball Season
We are experiencing a wave of mental health and substance abuse like never before seen in our communities.
Often, when people are suffering from mental health or substance abuse, they feel like they have no hope. They feel unwanted. They feel like a burden. They want to change, but often they don’t know how and only feel more condemned that they can’t change. I know how they feel. I felt the same way. MNATC is here to help answer the call and meet the need. Recently, we received a letter from Charity Navigator — an organization that measures the transparency and impact of charities — and discovered that we were rated in the top 6% of over 9.5 million charities nationwide. I desire to give everyone suffering from addiction the same outcome our friend Rolando, from the cover story, experienced. His story is an example of what is possible. But Rolando’s story wouldn’t be possible without individuals and active supporters like Jeff and the team at Victory Auto Service who genuinely want the best for people and their community. Businesses like Victory allow us to offer life-changing programs free of charge to people at their lowest moment in life, and I am grateful for their involvement. About 95% of our clients never pay us a dime.
St. Louis Cardinals The award for best offseason ought to go to the Cardinals, who, all winter long, appear to have outwitted their Milwaukee and Chicago rivals — the Brewers and Cubs were the top two teams in the National League Central last year — by acquiring third baseman Nolan Arenado and re-signing Adam Wainwright and Yadier Molina. The Cardinals are favored to win the Central if those off-season moves pay off. San Diego Padres After acquiring Manny Machado in a big trade in 2019, the Padres have continued to improve, especially against difficult opponents. The Padres were a tough team last year, defeating the Cardinals in the wild card round and losing to the eventual World Series champions, the Los Angeles Dodgers. Expect them to be near the top of the standings in September.
My dream is to see everyone who truly needs treatment be able to get the help they need. Together, we can help answer the call to solve the substance abuse and mental health crisis we face. If you or anyone you know wants help to defeat substance abuse, please call us at 612-FREEDOM, email us at info@mntc.org, or visit us at MNTC.org. We are here for you!
All of my best,
2
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker