Nov. 11--TAMPA -- The Rev. Tom Atchison sees long-term drug and alcohol addiction treatment as "hard moments and good times."

Atchison founded New Beginnings Tampa Inc., a treatment facility, in 2000.

The organization at 1402 E. Chilkoot Ave. provides transitional housing, substance abuse counseling, emergency shelter and a program that provides about 2,000 meals a week to homeless people.

For his nine years of volunteer work, Atchison recently was named one five Local Heroes through the Bank of America's Neighborhood Excellences Imitative Awards. A $5,000 donation will be given to the nonprofit organization in his honor.

Atchison was given the award Nov. 4 at the Tampa Theatre. He told the crowd, many of whom were former clients, that addiction treatment is difficult. There are "times when we think we are making progress and then things fall apart."

But the successes help keep him going.

The organization also sponsors housing for foster children aging out of the foster-care system and is about to begin work on remodeling a house for female veterans and their children. It has helped more than 4,000 people in its nine-year history.

The winners included Odessa resident Roberta Skinner, who volunteers at Quantum Leap Farms in Odessa where she helps people overcome limitations.

Quantum Leap serves children with autism, disabled adults, veterans with brain injuries and others by offering therapeutic horseback riding and equestrian activities. Skinner also serves as vice president of the farms' board of directors.

Skinner, who rode horses as a child, also purchases and delivers supplies, organizes fundraisers, gives riding instruction and underwrites the cost of care of one horse. Last year 500 people were helped by the 9-year-old nonprofit organization.

"I've always received much more than I have given," Skinner said at the ceremony.

She was surprised by the recognition, but Edie Dopkag, Quantum Leap's executive director said, "The rest of us weren't surprised. She's great."

Other winners of $5,000 were Joseph and Norma Robinson for work in revitalizing Sulphur Springs; Jennifer Leigh for her work in providing therapy for children who could not afford it; and former Tampa Bay Buccaneer Warrick Dunn for his Homes for the Holidays program, which has provided homes for 86 single parents with more than 200 children.

"God gave me the ability to play football, which made it possible to reach out," he said.

The ceremony also included the Neighborhood Builders grants for $200,000 each to Rebuilding Together Tampa Bay Inc. and the Tampa Theatre Foundation.

Rebuilding Together offers residential housing rehabilitation programs to improve living conditions for low-income families, especially for seniors and the disabled. The Tampa Theatre Foundation supports the theater, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 2008, it provided more than 35,000 students with access to educational and artistic programming.

Tribune correspondent Lenora Lake can be reached at (813) 259-7662.

To see more of the Tampa Tribune or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.tampatrib.com.

Copyright (c) 2009, Tampa Tribune, Fla.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

For reprints, email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.