“Marie’s journey is not defined by struggle, but by strength, grace, and resilience. Her faith in the Lord fuels her love for GKC and the community.”
Every volunteer at Grace Klein Community (GKC) is indispensable. Their strength and kindness are driven with a purpose to serve the community with God’s guidance and blessing. Each volunteer has a unique story, and Marie’s is one of courage and finding purpose through service at GKC.
Before serving at GKC, Marie served her country for almost 30 years–12 years in the Army and 17 years in the Air Force. After retirement, she moved to the country for its beauty. Although peaceful, she felt like she had nothing to do there.
“I had no mission. I was lonely,” Marie said.
To cope with her loneliness, Marie began to drink. And then she began to drink more. Before she realized it, she had a problem. Her sister recognized her addiction and sought help for Marie.
Her battle with alcohol addiction consumed her and affected her closest relationships. Feeling hopeless and lost, Marie came close to almost losing everything. After relapsing several times, she made the brave decision in February 2025 to complete a yearlong residency program, which began her journey of healing and growth.
In her residence recovery home, the residents are required to either work or complete volunteer service. Finding a job as a disabled veteran proved to be challenging and disheartening.
“No one wants to hire a broke 63 year old,” Marie said with a wry smile.
Marie eventually shifted her focus from job hunting to volunteering. Within a month of her residential program, in March, she decided to give GKC a try through a mutual connection. From then on, Marie discovered not *just* a place, but a home.
“I feel like at Grace Klein Community, I serve a purpose,” Marie said. “I feel like this is where I should be.”
With GKC’s warm welcome, Marie’s feelings of loneliness dissipated when she began volunteering. She makes friends with others and looks forward to seeing new faces every day. In addition, GKC allows her to take food home, which helps her and the women she lives with at the recovery home with groceries. Marie also struggles with scoliosis and often needs to rest at times to let her back decompress. At GKC, she feared she would be judged by it, but she experienced the opposite. By understanding and accommodating Marie’s needs and the needs of others, GKC helps create a supportive environment where volunteers uplift each other and receive the flexibility they need.
“I think the drive thru is where I am supposed to be,” Marie said. “It took me going through an addiction to get to Birmingham, and I feel blessed by it.”
Marie’s journey is not defined by struggle, but by strength, grace, and resilience. Her faith in the Lord fuels her love for GKC and the community.
Thank you, Marie, for serving our nation with honor, and Grace Klein with your heart.