Montgomery County is ranked 2nd for the most overdoses in Ohio, with 521 reported overdoses last year, but a group of women from Her Story Inc. are trying to change that.
Her Story Inc. is a non-profit organization which helps homeless women struggling with addiction and drug abuse turn their lives toward brighter light. The organization is based out of Xenia and has been taking action.
Her Story Inc., founded by Whitney Caudill, has recently opened a home in Greene County to try to help women get recovery care that encourages lasting results. The home, Her Story House, has already had several guests, and one woman graduate from Her Story.
Brandy Gleason, Executive Director of Her Story Inc., spends a lot of time at the home coordinating volunteer work, setting up treatments and more.
Gleason, a woman in recovery herself, said, “I know God gave me this opportunity because I am not the only one able to beat this.”
Gleason has had the opportunity to work directly with these women and empower them to beat their addictions.
The ultimate goal for women under the care of Her Story House is to help them obtain better long term outcomes. Residents in the home do not pay to live there, and Her Story helps them gain access to social services like food stamps and health care.
What makes Her Story House different from many recovery homes is that it is faith based. It has a more humanistic approach, working with what helps the individual rather than following a strict system that may be more challenging from one woman to the next.
“These women are fighting. This could be your daughter, sister, or mom,” says Gleason.
The home requires residents to make the effort in starting the process of rehabilitation. Families can’t do all the work to get their loved one in the home, and residents must make their own choice to stay there.
Residents can learn many skills at Her Story House, women coming to volunteer by teaching an array of classes, from budgeting to yoga. The home wants to help women hit the ground running once they are back out there on their own.
The house can currently only house 4 women at a time, but Her Story would like to see more homes opened in the future so they can reach more women.
Because the home is non-profit and faith based, it runs on donations. Click here to learn how to donate to Her Story. The house possesses few staff positions, filling day and night shifts, and class teachers with volunteers.
Anyone who can pass a background check can work in the home, and they do not discriminate for drug history. Click here to see how you can volunteer at Her Story House.
Gleason says, “These women have a tribe of crazy strong women supporting them. They aren’t doing this alone. Everyone deserves love.”
Montgomery County may have one of the largest epidemics in the state of Ohio, and the nation, but Her Story Inc. wants to change that. To get information about the house and stay up to date on news, check out their website at herstoryhouse.com.
Kelsey Fitzpatrick
Staff Writer