4 days ago
Lawrence nonprofit opens sober group home for women in recovery
LAWRENCE, Kan. — A new nonprofit in Lawrence opened its first sober group home for women in recovery. A couple days later, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office decided to donate a set of wheels to break down transportation barriers.
Cardinal Housing Network is a transitional housing program serving women in Douglas County. The nonprofit's mission is to provide safe, supportive housing to women in recovery.
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Hannah Bolton is the founder and program director of the Cardinal Housing Network.
About four years ago, Bolton lost her brother to alcohol addiction. She said the times he was doing well is when he had access to a sober living house.
'I do sometimes wonder if things had been different,' Bolton said, 'if there had been more access to beds here in our community, had he had a better shot at recovery.'
What's why she created the Cardinal Housing Network.
In May, the nonprofit opened its first sober group affordable housing for women, near 11th and New Hampshire.
Three women already call it home.
It sits across from the courthouse, with room for ten women, and costs $125 a week.
Bolton said thanks to grant funding that includes breakfast and dinner.
She also said her brother left a life insurance policy, which she used to acquire the house.
'I think my brother would be so proud,' Bolton said.
The Douglas County Sheriff's office also donated this used transport van to get people who live there to appointments.
'There's a lot of overlap with their services as far as our reentry team and, the jail that helps people leave custody and hopefully successfully reenter the community,' Douglas County Sheriff's Office PIO George Diepenbrock said. 'Transportation is a huge challenge for people trying to get back on their feet, especially sometimes getting to appointments or getting to court. We don't want that to be a barrier and it's just a way that we can help out.'
'It was shocking just because we are such a new organization,' Bolton said. 'Being able to take someone from directly where they're at, in terms of their recovery, whether that's picking them up from their treatment in Topeka, or here in Lawrence at first step, being able to get them to exactly where they need to go and get them settled into a home and start making those necessary changes, it's a safety measure, but it's also an opportunity measure.'
Bolton's on her way to opening two more homes off Ohio Street, which include seven apartments. She said they're designed for second step-type living for moms and children.
She's closing a massive gap in housing for women in recovery, compared to men.
'Here in Douglas County, I think we have access to 35, while men have access to 90, while that's still very low, in terms of our partnering neighbors, Johnson County, and in Topeka,' Bolton said. 'Women are just generally underserved in terms of being able to access housing. There's only 15 beds available to moms and kids. So having them have their own individual space really gives the opportunity to really bond with their children and figure out what works with them in terms of their parenting.'
Homes in her family for decades will help both mothers and their children.
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'We'll have a little courtyard for kids to participate,' Bolton said, 'and this van will be huge to take them out and about, into the community, head out to the Monarch Watch, or hike Clinton Lake. So, it's not always about the treatment piece, it's also about living in community.'
If you would like to donate to the Cardinal Housing Network, .
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