Silveus Insurance Group (Silveus) agents Brent and Gordon Clark are as devoted to helping others as they are to helping clients protect their farming operations. In 2007, the two started The Refuge at Dumas – a place where those addicted to drugs and alcohol can go to rebuild their lives after going through rehab.
“We first came up with the idea through our church when we came across a few guys who had been through rehab for addiction problems but were having a very difficult time staying clean,” said Gordon. “We decided our role would be to help people find a new way of life and get back on their feet.”
The Texans purchased property in town, made a few renovations, and had the first group of residents moving in shortly after that. The Refuge typically houses between 10 and 25 people at any given time, with a goal to be back on their feet within a year. Some leave The Refuge in three or six months while a few stay more than a year.
“Most of the time when people get here their credit score is messed up, they have no money, a terrible job history and bad rental records,” said Gordon. “They just need someone to help them put their lives back together, piece by piece.”
Refuge Manager Charles Stephens and wife Linda are the primary administrators, with a core group of ten families helping out, along with the support of several churches in town and the Silveus family as well. Residents most show accountability and take ownership for the upkeep of the facilities and also take care of all meals. Through the program, each resident develops a plan for how to live a productive, healthy life, including finding a job and reconnecting with family.
“We have a great success rate – close to 50 percent,” said Gordon. “It may sound like a lot of failure but a typical facility has a 10 percent success rate. This is the best option we know of to really give people a chance at a better life.”
One of the ways the Silveus family has helped the Refuge is by building a duplex behind the main building where individuals who are getting their lives back on track can spend time reconnecting with children or spouses.
“It’s been nine years and the Silveus family has helped us all along,” said Brent. “They’ve been a big part of this, which is really encouraging. We’ve helped hundreds of people learn to live in society drug and alcohol free, getting families, jobs and trust back; it’s so important and incredibly rewarding.”
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