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Steve Barndt

Executive Director

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If you are trying to turn your life around, get clean and sober, get a roof over your head, or get food in your belly, you have come to the right place and you are looking for this man. Whether you are a person with substance use disorder, a veteran, or someone who walks in off

 

the street, if you are motivated to change, Steve will give you his last dollar, bread crumb, or the shirt of his back. His heart is larger than life, without exaggeration. Steve has built his dream and his life around recovery, and he will help anyone along their own journey to do the same. Steve leads the vision at JFT and he has never turned anyone away; even if their intentions were not pure. Steve does not have the capacity to be unkind; it simply is not a part of who he is, and when ask: "Why?" he simply states: "I've been there." Steve runs a tight ship; however, many a person in long term recovery has Steve to thank somewhere along the way; although he would never admit it.

 

Steve worked in sales for many years before becoming the Regional Director for a Home Medical Supply company. After years of traveling, being away from home, and the trials and tribulations facing most of us throughout active addiction, Steve decided his life needed a drastic change of direction. He checked himself into Gaudenzia's Common Ground detox and inpatient facility in Harrisburg; and to this day, credits them with saving his life. Steve was willing to go to any lengths at this point, and accepted the 12-step philosophy followed at Common Ground, truly finding a Power greater than himself. With a grateful heart, Steve still follows this program today; however, like the rest of us at JFT, sincerely believes there are many roads to recovery, which are welcomed and demonstrated daily at JFT's Recovery Center.

 

As his vision for a recovery center slowly unfolded, Steve continued working parttime at Common Ground while moving all the pieces into place to build his dream. At one time under Steve's direction in the early 2000's, JFT operated recovery houses in Harrisburg, Gettysburg, and Mechanicsburg as well as a thrift store in Middletown to make ends meet. However, more often than naught, funds came out of Steve's own pockets to keep the dream alive.

 

Luck, hard work, or divine intervention--depending on your beliefs--took hold and Steve was awarded a start up grant from Capital Area Behavioral Health Collaborative to purchase the property in Lemoyne. Steve began a male recovery house above the center, added the veteran's services in 2014, and acquired a women veteran's recovery house in Harrisburg, slated to open in March 2019. Recently, JFT was awarded grant funding from Cumberland-Perry Drug and Alcohol Commission to initiate the Warm Handoff Program in our three county hospitals: Carlisle, West Shore, and Holy Spirit. With the Warm Handoff media coverage, by word-of-mouth, and through referrals, JFT has helped as many people coming in off the streets acquire some type of treatment as we have straight from the emergency rooms.

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Steve is currently the Chairman of the Board for Consumer Satisfaction Services where he has served for six years. He remains an active member of NA and throughout the years has held most, if not all, of the service positions at both the local and state levels. Steve has no problem telling anyone that he has 16 years sobriety as his ultimate goal has ALWAYS been to carry the message with a grateful heart.

Alicia Nelson

Administrative Assistant

 

Alicia is a woman of true character, and a heart of gold who turned an internship into a successful career path! She is the first you see as you enter our Annex location. Outside of work her favorite hobbies consist of shopping, playing with her kitties, and going to the gym. She has a passion for being a helping hand, no matter the size of the task, if she has the resources to help, she will do her best to give. Her future goals are to become a counselor for troubled youth. 

Mary Jo Krynok

R&R Coordinator

Sherry Clouser, B.S., CADC, CPS, 

Deputy Director

PA Certified Recovery Specialist

 

Sherry Clouser is our Deputy Director here at JFT Recovery and Veterans Support Services. Sherry grew up in Steelton, Pennsylvania and currently resides in Dauphin County. She holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Criminal Justice

from the Pennsylvania State University, she holds the following certifications from Pennsylvania Certification Board CADC Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor, a Competence Certificate in Problem Gambling and is ready to test for the CPA Certified Prevention Specialist. She has certification as a facilitator in the following programs: pre/post test HIV Counseling, SFW Strengths Based Family Worker, Botvin Life Skills, Project Towards no Drugs, Too good for drugs and violence, Celebrating Families and Strengthening Families (original and adaptation 12-14), and several theories of counseling (i.e. Reality Therapy, Cognitive Restructuring, etc.).

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Sherry came to JFT with over 30 years of experience in the drug and alcohol field. She worked 10 years as a counselor at Dauphin County Prison where she held the roles of Counselor, Treatment Evaluator and Treatment Coordinator. She worked 20 years at Dauphin County Department of Drug and Alcohol (SCA Single County Authority). She held the roles of case manager, intensive case manager, student assistance program liaison, prevention supervisor and retired as the deputy director.

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Sherry is proud of her ability to work in any community. She can work with all diverse populations. Her heart has always been torn between the prevention and recovery fields, and being able to have planned Dauphin County’s prevention to now work with the recovery community is an honor. When you meet Sherry you will feel her passion, her empathy and commitment to people and their ability to overcome addiction.

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She feels empathy is her God given gift and uses this in her work and with her own family. If you ask her the most important thing in her life is her family. She is proud of her daughter who is also working in the drug and alcohol field in a dual role of prevention and recovery. The love of her life is her 3 grandchildren. Sherry also loves to dance, swim, laugh and create her own good time. She loves her 3 dogs and is a certified dog trainer through animal behavior college.

She has recently began taking classes in alternative therapies and is excited to be able to learn new things that will help in her last chapter of her career.

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Erin Moran

Fiscal Coordinator

PA Certified Recovery Specialist

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Erin is the smiling face that greets you when you enter JFT, and she does a little bit of everything for everyone here at the Center. If you need to know how to do something or where to find something, Erin is your go-to for sure!

Erin has a certification in Medical Assisting from Kaplan Institute. She did so well in her studies, she was awarded membership into the Alpha Beta Kappa Honor Society.

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Erin has worked in many areas within the medical field; however, she feels her greatest wealth of knowledge is in endocrinology where she spent the majority of her medical assisting time.

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Erin is currently attending HACC to strengthen the second act of her career studying Healthcare Administration, and remains in good standing with the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. Erin's role at the Center is primarily business oriented where she coordinates payroll, expenses, and so much more. She would like to combine her background in the medical field with her business savvy and one day own her own medical supply company.

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As JFT grows and expands offering our services to more and more people in recovery as well as our veterans, Erin's role within the organization also continues to grow. Each day at JFT greets Erin with new challenges that she is happy to navigate.

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Erin is one of of our in-house CRSs who responds to Warm Handoff calls during the day, Monday through Friday. Erin has enjoyed recovery since June 10, 2006, and counts her daughter, Giana, as her greatest accomplishment.

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Megan Rene'e

PA Certified Recovery Specialist​

 

Megan likes to keep busy behind the scenes. Outside of work she loves a good cup of coffee alongside a book or a journal, yoga, walking, and baking. She is passionate about unconditional love and nurturing others, pursuing her Associates Degree in Social Work.

April Jones

Housing Coordinator

Larry McNeil

R&R Certified Recovery Specialist

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John Arkon 

R&R Certified Recovery Specialist

Sonia Santiago

Certified Recovery Specialist

Peggy Houyouse

R&R Certified Recovery Specialist

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Nathan Roberts

R&R Certified Recovery Specialist

Stacie Roberts

R&R Certified Recovery Specialist

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Larry is passionate in both his own recovery and service to others. He spends his time outside of the center giving back the faith & recovery so freely given to him at Bethesda Mission and staying connected to God. Larry sees the value in all individuals and knows how to unconditionally love them back to life. He is an inspiration to say the least, and appreciated by many!

Stacie loves being outdoors, movies, and video games.Helping people has always been a passion of hers, because "without the people that helped me I wouldn’t be where I am today." She is humble and kind to all she comes across. A truly welcoming soul. For the future, she says, "One day I would like to own my own home, but I try not to live in the future too much and take things one day at a time, so for now I just want to continuing growing as a person and growing in my career and taking every day as it comes."

Nathan loves spending time with his friends and getting outdoors.  He is a selfless individual with a fire in his soul for giving back to others. He says, "My passion has always been to help people," And when asked about his future, "To continue to grow in the field as well continue to grow as a person." He is a man of little words and a whole lot of heart!

Peggy loves walks, plants, needle points & crafts. She has a passion for helping others, because she knows "what it is like to go from having everything (or so I thought) to having nothing." She knows the essence of picking herself back up with her faith in God and support from others to become the person she is today. Peggy says, "Helping others find that spiritual freedom and peace makes my soul feel good." Her goals & dreams are to further her education, live a sober life, and travel with an open mind to new adventures. Peggy's words of wisdom? "Always be kind because you don't know the other person's story."

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