Please join us in celebrating Christine Cook, Program Coordinator. We are so excited to have her on the team!
1. What do you do at The Magdalen House, and what does a “typical” day look like for you?
I began as a part-time First Step Coordinator and eventually transitioned into a full-time role conducting phone screens. My day typically starts by checking in with our Overnight Volunteers to confirm their scheduled shifts. From there, I begin returning phone calls, most often from individuals seeking information about the First Step program or completing phone screens to determine eligibility. When someone doesn’t qualify, I refer them to trusted, vetted resources. Throughout the day, I handle all incoming calls and step in to support the team wherever needed.
2. What is your favorite line in the Big Book and why?
I have always believed in a Higher Power – I call Him God. I didn’t know how to turn my will and my life over to Him effectively. As a Christian woman, I thought I HAD done that. What I found in doing the steps is the miracle on page 84:
“We suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves.”
3. What’s something you’ve witnessed at The Magdalen House that inspires or moves you?
Every time I see a woman and her sponsor on their knees, praying the Third Step prayer, it nearly brings me to tears. Witnessing that spark of hope come to life is one of the most beautiful moments I’ve ever seen.
4. How has working at The Magdalen House impacted your life?
Working at The Magdalen House fills me with a kind of joy I’ve never found anywhere else. Getting to share my experience, strength, and hope every day has given me more than any job I’ve ever had.
5. What are some of your hobbies or things that you enjoy doing when you’re not working?
When I’m not working, I love being with my three adult daughters, playing with my Bernedoodle, Chewy, getting lost in a good book, or going for a run.
5. What is something that we may not know about you?
I speak Spanish and even went to high school in Madrid, Spain. Oh, and I’m a total Harry Potter fanatic!
About Christine Cook
Christine Cook first came to The Magdalen House as a First Step client in 2021 and returned in 2024. After her second stay, she began volunteering for Next Step. During her first shift, while cleaning out the pantry, something changed. She describes it as the moment God “did work” on her heart. From then on, she couldn’t get enough of the Maggie’s community.
In her recovery, Christine found both purpose and direction. Known for her calm, compassionate presence, she now works as a First Step Coordinator, guiding men and women through phone screens with steadiness and genuine care. Before Maggie’s, she spent 15 years as a Registered Nurse and later moved into management in the service industry. Today, she’s working toward her next big goal: becoming a clinical counselor.
The greatest gift of her recovery is the relationship with God she was never able to find on her own. And what she loves most about Maggie’s? The people. “These are my people,” she says. “Here, I get to be myself.”
