LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) — Safehouse Sober Living, a Christian nonprofit organization, has opened its first sober living house for women in Lafayette, according to a press release from their office.

The six-bed house provides low-cost transitional housing to women recovering from substance use disorders.

“Women struggle with addiction just as much as men do,” said John Nugent, executive director of Safehouse Sober Living.  “But their needs are sometimes different.  We’re excited to give women a safe place to land, a home where they are loved and where we can help them in the other areas of their lives affected by addiction.”

Under Safehouse’s holistic approach to recovery, known as the S.A.F.E. method, residents will attend a 12-step program, have the opportunity to get involved in the community, create plans for financial success, and complete training or coursework to finish their education.

S.A.F.E. is an acronym representing four aspects that Safehouse helps residents focus on while in the program.

• Sobriety — Each member will complete a recovery plan, actively participate in a 12-step program, and have an outside sponsor for accountability. Safehouse encourages healthy recovery which also means a change in behavior and thinking patterns.
• Activism — Residents will be able to give back to the community through volunteer opportunities in their neighborhood, town, and church family.
• Financial health — Members will get help in their job search, and mentors to help build a monthly budget and plan for the future.
• Education — Residents will have the support to take the next step in their education. This may mean acquiring the GED or other academic and job training goals. Safehouse offers residents the tools they need to become their best selves.

Safehouse named its latest sober living house after Meredith Lindsay Street, whose family started the Meredith Lindsay Street Foundation after her passing in 2007.  The Foundation, which supports many causes for at-risk women in the Acadiana area, partnered with Safehouse Sober Living during the Community Foundation of Acadiana’s SOLA Giving Day.

The house is open to women 18 years or older who are willing to work a recovery program.

Safehouse Sober Living is the latest project of the parent non-profit organization Safehouse. Started in 2014, Safehouse partners with disadvantaged communities in Lafayette to meet their specific needs. Safehouse opened its first sober living house, a seven-bed house for men, in January of this year.

To fill out an application or for more information about Safehouse Sober Living, call John Nugent, Executive Director at 337-230-2107, or visit safehousefamily.com.