CHARLOTTE, N.C-- At the Charlotte Rescue Mission’s Community Matters Café you can get a good cup of coffee but the group serving the coffee is even better.

Almost every employee at the café is part of the substance abuse recovery program at the Charlotte Rescue Mission.

They get four months of treatment for their addiction and then add on four months or working different jobs in the café like waiting tables and making coffee.

The goal is to let them learn some new skills and work out how to handle stress without wanting to go back to their addiction.

One of the staff members, Jamie, has been sober for ten months and is looking forward to graduating from the program with a full time job and a new lease.

Jamie said, “A year ago I never thought I would be here right now and its just amazing how far I’m come so far. I know I’m not where I want to be but I know I’m not where I used to be.”

The first round of program staff will graduate from the program Thursday May 16. All of them will move on to full time jobs.