Hope House offers path from sobriety program to independent living
Battle Creek, Mich — Victory Life Church and Hood Church in Battle Creek have partnered to create "Hope House;" a pathway to independent living for homeless men who are also battling drug and alcohol addiction.
Hope House, purchased a year ago, is a perfect metaphor for the people who will call this house home, according to Pastor James Sunnock.
"It was property that was abandoned and forgotten but then with investment and with love put into it we revitalized it. We're giving it a second chance." said Sunnock.
Hope House is a next step for men graduating from the "Life Recovery Program" at The Haven shelter in Battle Creek.
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Pastor Raul Maysonet, founder of Hood Church life recovery ministry, said the goal of Hope House is to help residents stay clean.
"Statistics show their chances for relapse, even if it's a long-term program, their chances for relapse are from forty to sixty percent." said Maysonet
Residents will get help finding a job, budgeting, and developing the life skills to keep them from falling backwards.
Groceries and utilities are covered, and rent will be based on their wages.
"Life presents so many little challenges that, after a while, you lose sight of the ultimate goal because you're just fighting the daily battles," said Eric Pauljarose an LRP student at The Haven. "The opposite of addiction is connection and that's what this place offers."
Residents are expected to begin moving in at the beginning of December.
When each tenant is prepared to live on their own and moves out, a new graduate from the LRP program will move in.
