The Tulsa group helps addicts get back on their feet

TULSA, Okla. — As a local organization plans to illuminate its famous Route 66 sign on Friday, Nov. 15, we want to highlight the work it’s doing to help those who need it most.

2 News Oklahoma’s Douglas Braff listened to a woman they help about how her life has changed.

Wings of Freedom is a sober living program that helps people rebuild their lives after struggles—whether it’s addiction, incarceration, homelessness, or domestic violence.

The group provides “hope to the hopeless, help to the helpless and healing to the broken”. That’s how its founder, Reverend Dixie Pebworth, put it to 2 News.

“We are not treatment,” Pebworth said. “We are a recovery support program that helps people learn to live again after an addiction, after an alcoholism, after brokenness.”

“There are many broken people in the world today because of society itself,” he added.

Pastor Dixie Pebworth founder of wings of freedom

Since Wings of Freedom was founded in 2001, they have helped hundreds of people make it to the other side.

Meanwhile, the individuals – and sometimes other family members – live in one of their sober living communities.

At one of them, the Saratoga Sober Center, Braff ran into Candace Garcia, who had a completely different life four months ago.

Without this place, she said, “I wouldn’t be sober. I would still have three beautiful little girls who would not be able to see their mother.”

The 29-year-old battled addiction and had lost custody of her newborn daughter, Willow, in an Oklahoma Department of Human Services case.

After living there for three months, Garcia had a real turnaround.

She recently celebrated over 60 days of sobriety, got married just three weeks ago, and will have her daughter back in January – just before her first birthday.

candace garcia daughter arrow — Candace’s nine-month-old daughter, Willow.

candace garcia daughters — Candace’s two older daughters.

As for what she would tell herself four months ago, she replied, “That you could do it and keep your head up, and you have to show — prove not just to your kids but to yourself that you’re strong.”

Wings of Freedom gave Garcia a furnished apartment to call home while she gets back on her feet.

“It’s a hand up, it’s not a hand down,” Pebworth told 2 News. “They have to go to work, be responsible for their own bills and pay their own way. But at the same time, our goal is to restore them as … people in society who function as normal citizens.”

The group also offers classes in personal finance, parenting and marriage to help them adjust to society.

“A broken heart is like a broken arm,” said Pebworth. “If you restore it and hold it still for a period of time, it heals itself. Well, the heart is the same way. If you restore the heart and hold it still, then process the pain, then you can restore your life.”

To register for Wings of Freedom’s program, click here.

At 6pm on November 15, the public is welcome to join Wings of Freedom for a “light-up party”.

wings of freedom road 66 saratoga sober center — This retro sign dates back to the 1960s, when a motel used to sit where the Saratoga Sober Center is now.

They will light up the iconic sign in front of their Saratoga Sober Center (10117 E. 11th St., Tulsa, OK 74128) along Route 66 to celebrate the community and the Mother Road.

The group encourages people to bring toys to give to children of families in sober living communities for a Christmas drive.

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