Guiding Light will celebrate the opening of its sixth Iron House this month as two of its clients move into the sober-living apartment building in the City of Kentwood.
Clients, staff, board members and volunteers will gather for a private blessing of the recently remodeled building, located in the City of Kentwood, on Friday, Jan. 28.
The new Iron House comes at a time of increased demand for addiction recovery services. Since the beginning of 2021, Guiding Light has experienced increases in the number of inquiries and program enrollments for its Recovery program, which takes a holistic approach to addiction recovery.
Able to accommodate seven men, the four-unit apartment building increases the nonprofit’s capacity to house men as they transition back into the mainstream of society after successfully completing the Foundation phase of Guiding Light’s Recovery program. In total, Guiding Light can house a total of 42 men in its six Iron House locations.
The apartments are designed for community-oriented sober living and are reserved exclusively for men who have finished four to six months of intensive residential treatment that combines evidence-based practices, life-coaching, therapy, support groups, spiritual direction and other resources to equip men to stay sober and reengage with their family, friends and community.
The Iron House model has proven to be a key component in setting clients up for success to achieve long-term recovery. Guiding Light has found 78% of men who move to Iron House reach at least one year of abstinence-based sobriety.
“We want to give men the best opportunity possible for living a healthy, connected life in recovery,” Recovery Director Brian Elve said. “That’s why we created a structure with Iron House that allows men to stay connected with the support offered by Guiding Light.
“We recognize it takes a year or more to change the physical structure of the brain and its response to addiction. Iron House allows for truly comprehensive, long-term, transformative care and we are excited to invest in our community this way.”
After completing the Foundation phase of Recovery, Guiding Light clients who are interested in continuing their recovery journeys at Iron House are able to apply for the opportunity. If accepted, clients are able to move into an apartment once they have secured full-time employment.
In addition to abstinence-based sobriety, Iron House residents focus on honing important life skills. Residents all have jobs. They buy and prepare their own food, pay their own bills and engage with each other in a communal-living environment. They look after and support each other, practicing community and providing support to one another with a common goal of creating lives worth staying sober for.
While living more independently, residents still have access to the support and resources of the Recovery program, such as the opportunity to attend classes or support groups, participate in a spiritual direction group, work with a life coach and give back to the community through service.
Not only has Iron House been a key part of helping residents maintain their sobriety, ithas also generated profits to ensure Guiding Light’s programming can remain free to participants. Funds from Iron House and The Job Post, Guiding Light’s two social enterprises, benefit clients while also aiding in the financial sustainability of the nonprofit’s programs. The programs are otherwise entirely funded by donations and grants.
If you or a man you love would benefit from Guiding Light’s Recovery program, call 616.451.0236, ext. 23 and take a confidential first step. Learn more at guidinglightworks.org.
