A: The first step is realizing you do not have to do this alone. If your child is in immediate medical or psychiatric danger, please call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988. If you are looking for initial guidance as to where to start, please reach out to us at contact@perseveringinfaith.com. We make every effort to answer every email we receive and will gladly reach out to you with suggestions as to where to seek out spiritual, emotional, and practical support for your family's journey.

The Climb is a Christ-centered guidebook designed to help parents support one another through the darkest season of their lives. Written as a structured journey from the Valley to the Summit, it walks you through 18 steps of honest reflection, spiritual growth, and practical action. Each step includes dual perspectives from both a mother and a father, discussion questions for in-person or online support groups, companion devotionals, and resources to act quickly when your child is finally ready for help. Erin and Scott Calkins have lived this journey. For nearly a decade, they navigated their son's co-occurring addiction and mental illness, and they emerged not unchanged, but transformed. Scott entered the Valley as a self-described nonbeliever, he left it baptized. Their family survived because they found hope, not in their own strength, but in the faithfulness of God. The Climb is not a clinical manual from a professional. It is a "how we" from a real family who survived the unimaginable and emerged transformed. You do not have to climb alone. The Climb shows parents how to endure crisis without losing their marriage, their faith, or themselves while staying ready to act when change finally becomes possible. The Climb is a Christ-centered guidebook written by our founders, Erin and Scott Calkins, based on their own family's journey. It uses the metaphor of climbing a mountain to help parents navigate four stages of crisis: The Valley, Base Camp, The Ascent, and The Summit. It provides practical structure, self-evaluations, and spiritual encouragement to help you find your footing.

A: Absolutely not. While our organization, our founders' story, and the curriculum in The Climb are deeply rooted in the Christian faith and biblical principles, our doors are open to everyone. We welcome any parent who is looking for support, community, and hope on their journey with a child afflicted with addiction or mental illness.

A: No. We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization created by parents, for parents. Our mission is to walk alongside you spiritually, emotionally, and when possible, financially. We provide resources, community, and faith-based encouragement, but we do not provide professional medical, psychiatric, or legal advice.

A: Yes. The Climb was created and structured for use by support groups or for personal reflection specifically for this purpose. We encourage churches and community leaders to use the book to facilitate support groups for parents in their congregations who are silently struggling with a child's mental health or substance abuse issues. Through Persevering in Faith NFP, Erin and Scott Calkins are available to church and community groups as a resource for leading, facilitating and encouraging parent support groups.

A: We understand that the costs of therapy, intake fees, and treatment centers can be overwhelming. As our 501(c)(3) funding grows through generous donations, we aim to provide targeted financial grants to help ease the burden on families navigating these expenses. Please contact us directly to learn more about currently available resources.

A: We are a registered 501(c)(3) public charity. Your tax-deductible donations go directly toward fulfilling our mission: providing copies of The Climb to families in need, facilitating community support groups, and building a fund to offer financial assistance to parents carrying the heavy costs of their child's care pertaining to addiction or mental health care.

Employer Identification Number (EIN) for Persevering in Faith NFP is 39-4304174

Our Address is:

Persevering in Faith NFP

113 True Blue Loop

Summerville SC 29486