Elgin man’s mission transforms lives through Made Again ministry

The fight against addiction in Elgin has taken on a new urgency. While police-handled overdoses have dropped, fatal overdoses continue to rise, according to Kane County data. Excessive drinking has also been on the rise in Kane County since the pandemic.

Behind these sobering statistics, one man has been working tirelessly to bring people new hope. That man’s name is Steve Szwarga.

Szwarga’s passion for helping families in crisis started in his own childhood. “Both of my parents were alcoholics, and our home split up when I was 13,” he recalls. “I saw what it did to my parents. My experience gave me a heart to work with families that are struggling with the same stuff my parents struggled with.”

For nearly 45 years, Szwarga has been an invaluable resource and friend to those battling addiction. For the past two decades, he has served in a faith-based addictions program called Made Again, a ministry of Northwest Bible Baptist Church in Elgin.

The Made Again approach is deeply personal and highly effective, Szwarga explains.

“Our program has a high long-term success rate,” he says. “People who go through the program, the ones who graduate, have an 80% success rate.”

In fact, many graduates later return as Made Again volunteers. Szwarga says, “The workers are the heartbeat of the program. Many of them have come out of addiction and care about the people they help.”

Although Made Again meets only once a week, Szwarga’s commitment to its participants reaches far beyond the scheduled meeting time. He has dedicated countless hours to those in need.

However, not every story ends the way Szwarga wishes it would. He recalled the heartache after a man he had guided for years relapsed into his old habits.

“He was worth investing in,” Szwarga says softly. “And I would do it again for him, because he was showing up and doing the work. As long as you show up, there’s hope.”

Szwarga continues to embody the very hope he offers to others, proving that genuine dedication can change lives, even in the face of heartbreak.

So what keeps him going? From his desk, he pulled a picture of a smiling bride, groom and Szwarga. “I got to be the best man in his wedding. I get Father’s Day cards from him.”

Watching somebody rebuild their life through faith makes his work worth it. He says, “When you work with people, and you see them come to Christ, come to the light, and leave the darkness they were living in, it’s like seeing a new baby. It’s the joy of seeing someone made new.”

After nearly five decades, Szwarga still refuses to take credit for any successes. “Ultimately,” he said with conviction, “the success of the program is not my track record or the program’s track record. It’s God’s track record.”