When the hosts of News Channel 8 – Good Morning Washington reached out to House of Ruth to see if we knew a deserving Mom for a surprise Mother’s Day Makeover, we knew just who to recommend. Rosemary G. is a mother of two sons, a grandmother of one grandson and the “adopted” mother to many neighborhood youth. She is in recovery from substance abuse and is a survivor of a near-fatal domestic abuse attack. Fifteen years ago, Rosemary lost custody of her four and five year-old sons due to her drug addiction. She decided to get clean and sober to regain custody of her two young sons and be the mother that she wished she had as a child.
Rosemary completed a 6-month residential drug treatment program in Washington, D.C. Afterwards, she and her sons entered House of Ruth’s FamilySpace Program to continue to receive supportive services to help her remain sober and stable. Throughout her stay in the FamilySpace Program, Rosemary set goals for herself and strived to be a good example for her children.
She has always had a gift and passion for cooking. As a result, she completed the 6-month culinary certificate program at D.C. Central Kitchen and gained employment. However, she decided to continue her education at Stratford University in Arlington, VA. Balancing work and school, she eventually obtained an Associate’s Degree in Culinary Arts. Currently, Rosemary is a prep chef at the D.C. Superior Court Building. The judges often request her to help cater special events in their chambers because of her delicious food.
The surprise spa day was a gift to Rosemary and watching her delight and joy was a gift to everyone watching Good Morning Washington that day. Click here to see the segments and the surprise – and thank you for making this good work possible.
