Our Story
My name is Cliff Branam and I am the founder and executive director of Springs of Life. I founded the organization in February of 2014 after meeting a three year old girl named Chrystal, who was living with her homeless grandparents that were active IV drug users. That experience propelled me into the journey of creating recovery services for the poor.
Initially, we believed our mission was to help the men of Campbell County in overcoming life-controlling issues and help our families heal from the devastation that comes from drug abuse and poverty. We could have never imagined what God was taking us into as we followed Him into the darkest parts of our community.
We soon learned that we were inundated and up against more than we initially understood. However, we also learned that God was making a way where there was no way. Our eyes slowly began to open as we worked with men who had suffered years of sexual, physical, and mental abuse, not to mention the years of baggage that comes from their poor choices. We worked day and night to understand their needs, and we sacrificed much to see them receive the restorative services they needed. They experienced love in action and watched as an entire community embraced them.
As time went on, we began to see that in order to truly help our residents and their families, many other resources must be made available. We also realized others in the surrounding communities were in need of these resources. We understood that while the spiritual aspect was at the heart of the matter, physical needs were greatly desired and needed as well. This includes vocational training, education, employment, parenting skills, marriage counseling, budgeting skills, and so on. In 2017, we partnered with the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services and Operation UNITE in Kentucky. We continually look to improve our quality of care and work diligently at creating new opportunities for our recovery residents.
Blessings,