Friday, August 8, 2014

Tough Program?

Many think our halfway house program is tough.

After all, we ask residents to do difficult things.

For example, they pay rent of $110 a week. They must have a job, or other income. They have to abstain from alcohol and illicit drug use. No stealing. No threats. No violence. Keep their living quarters clean. Go to meetings.

While these are like things people do in the real world, addicts and alcoholics often find them difficult.

After all, we get many residents who've never had a steady job. Some have never had their own apartment. Or owned a car. They don't know how to open a bank account. They've never paid rent. And I'm talking of people in their thirties and beyond.

And the sad part is that many of them learned this lifestyle from their families.

Parents have asked why we would ask their baby to get up at 4:00 am to work on a labor ticket. They think it's cruel and unfair. They change their mind though when we suggest they should take them home.

The only tough part of our program is that we ask residents to be responsible.

And until we're ready, that can be difficult.

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