We were lucky to catch up with Norman Mackenzie recently and have shared our conversation below.
Norman, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Was there a moment in your career that meaningfully altered your trajectory? If so, we’d love to hear the backstory.
I have worked for The Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center for 7 years. During that time I held 4 different positions at the center Assistant Resident Manager, Resident Manager, Program Secretary and Intake Coordinator. During that time and the many positions I held as I moved up in different positions I was going to school for a Behavioral Health Degree at City College as well as working on getting my certification as an Alcohol and Drug Counselor. I graduated the AOD program at City College in 2019 and obtained my certification with state as an AOD Counselor SUDCC-II in 2020. I went on to get my Associates Degree at City College in Behavioral Health Science and began to work on my Bachelors degree at GCU in Behavioral Health. I then left and worked in the private sector up north with CDCR as an AOD Counselor as well another organization. I then would move back to San Diego and re engage with The Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center at their new location in Otay Mesa, Ca. God had a different plan for me in my life from being homeless with nowhere to go and suffering from an addiction I struggled for 36 years until I came to the The Salvation Army ARC in 2010. After returning to San Diego I was offered another position at the ARC community engagement coordinator of which I would finally except and be back home at the ARC. While in the process I also switched my degree to a communications degree right at the right moment to continue on my path of obtaining a Bachelor’s degree God’s plan and path is amazing.
Norman, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
Today as I look back and reflect on how I have become a counselor and community engagement coordinator for The Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation center I can see the path that God had guided me through and how being of service to our community and those who suffer from addiction, homelessness and incarceration is so important to me today. In 2010 you would have found me homeless and sleeping on a piece of cardboard at the old library in downtown San Diego with no where to go. On September 26, 2010 I stopped using drugs and alcohol on the streets and began my journey at the ARC on September 30 2010. The Salvation Army ARC provides a no cost drug and alcohol program to help folks just like me lost in addiction and struggling to regain control of their lives as reunites families and loved ones during the process.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
My journey has been a profound one with many growth opportunities along the way. Helping folks out in our community can have its challenges, but what I learned was to meet them where they are at and just love folks with genuine care. That’s what The Salvation Army taught me to do as well as my pastor’s Major Henry and Dina Graciani and now Captains Paul and Jennifer Swain. They show the genuine love of others and God and that promotes hope and helps when times are tough and when you just keep keeping on.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
Now at my new position as the Community Engagement Coordinator with ARC is the reputation I built as a person of service here at the center and helping others. One the biggest things is being helpful to all the agencies that we help use as referral sources, Public Defenders Office, Federal and State probation and parole, San Diego County Probation, San Diego Police, San Diego Sheriff Department and other agencies within that county that help folks who struggle with alcohol and drug addiction.
Contact Info:
- Website: SanDiegoARC.SalvationArmy.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salvationarmysandiegostores
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SalvationArmyStoreSD
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/TSA_ThriftStore
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgFJo1qTgu9c2wIT7rLevHA
- Other: http://give.classy.org/SanDiegoArc http://bit.ly/tsasandiego
Image Credits
Norman Mackenzie Sr