Talk to Pete Hope and you'll never forget the twinkle in his eyes. As a respected Houston restaurant owner of Original New Orleans Po-Boy, Hope, 79, also volunteers locally. However, it wasn't always that way. The help that Hope needed seemed to elude him when he was an alcoholic on a downward spiral.

     "I was 42 years old and drank my last wine under a bridge in San Antonio. I asked God--what should I do next? Then I got up on the freeway and caught a ride to Houston." Hope wandered into a fire station and asked to see the captain.

     "I told him I was cold and half sick and he asked me if I wanted to do something about my problem. No one ever asked me if I wanted help and I said yes," he explains. The captain called The Men's Center, Inc., a privately funded 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization and within minutes men showed up and rescued Hope. That day became a defining moment in his life.

     Marshall Upson III, 54, had a good life but lost everything through addiction.

     "I was without any hope and wanted the pain to end," he recalls. Desperate for help, he knocked on the door of The Men's Center and was introduced to a new way of life.

     Hope and Upson are just two men among many who reached sobriety through guidance at The Men's Center. Since the 1950's the residential facility has been a lifeline for alcoholic and drug abusers who are serious about change. Recently, one resident completed law school, passing the state bar exam.

     Men come here as young as 18 and most arrive with nothing," says Mike Grossi, general manager. Within a week men must have a sponsor to encourage their commitment to the program and the 12-step meetings.

     Residents work hard to stay sober and must do so to remain in the program. Accountability is necessary to evoke change--men submit to random drug tests, work every day and pay rent within their means.

     From humble beginnings the organization has grown to acquire seven houses, accommodating 150 men. "Our goal now is to construct a new building on our land that will bring everyone under one roof," anticipates Hope.

     Celebrating 34 years of sobriety, Hope has forged a deep bond with his comrades. He has been part of the organization since that first day and he has served as Chairman of the Board since 1972. His character and years of abstinence from alcolol are a testimony to his hard work and the dedicated individuals that helped him at The Men's Center. Now...THATS HOPE!