Hope House Ready To Begin Mission

Transitional Facility Opens In Buena Vista

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held last Wednesday, April 17, to officially open Hope House, Rockbridge Recovery’s transitional facility for recovering addicts. The first-of-its kind facility in the Rockbridge area will serve as a transitional residence for up to six men at a time who are recovering from addiction.

Donors, volunteers and government officials participated in the ribbon-cutting cere- mony and toured the facility, which is in a house at 1833 Magnolia Ave. that has been renovated after being heavily damaged in a fire. Renovations to the house, which was donated by Brent and Deb Styler, began last August and included rebuilding nearly the entire interior. The property includes a small cottage which will be occupied by a staff night monitor.

Hope House will provide a structured, safe and supervised residence for men who are beginning their recovery journey after completing a detox or rehab program. Its four bedrooms and bathrooms, kitchen, living room, dining room, laundry area, wellness area and office can accommodate up to six men at one time. The house has recreational equipment for kayaking, fishing, hiking, basketball, corn hole and more for the residents to enjoy time together and bond in their recovery journey.

During their stay at Hope House, residents will be supported through job placement, classes, training programs and opportunities for recreation and community service.

“The goal is to spend six months getting these men ready for an independent lifestyle,” said Lori Turner, Hope House project manager. “We want them to leave with financial independence, confidence and the mindset that they can leave their old lifestyle behind them. We want them to recover out loud and allow their success stories to motivate others to do the same.”

“Substance abuse disorder has increased dramatically in the last decade, impacting individuals and communities nationwide. We are thrilled to be able to offer our community a local option for a pathway to recovery at the Hope House,” said Dr. Laura Kornegay, chair of the Rockbridge Recovery board of directors.

Primary funding for the project was provided by three sources – the Virginia Opioid Abatement Authority, the Community Foundation for Rockbridge, Bath and Alleghany and the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health Services – with additional support from many individuals and organizations within the community.

The Virginia OAA, using proceeds sent to the state from lawsuit settlements with drug manufacturers, awarded funds to the three Rockbridge area governments for local substance abuse prevention. In turn, Rockbridge County, Buena Vista and Lexington entered into a regional agreement to use some or all of that funding to support Hope House and named the Community Foundation as fiscal agent to administer those funds.

“It has been wonderful to see the progress of this project in such a short time,” said Charlie Lintecum, director of operations for the Virginia OAA. “This project had so much support in the form of letters, in-kind donations and monetary partners. It is a true community effort.”

The Community Foundation and its donors supplemented OAA funds as needed, including allowing Rockbridge Recovery to purchase the night monitor cottage and cover cost overruns when hidden fire damage was discovered.

J. Steven Grist, CFRBA board chair, noted, “The Foundation wholeheartedly supports the Hope House mission and is happy to have been able to help make this needed resource available for our community.”

The Virginia Department of Behavioral Health Services approved a grant proposal for part of the cost of staffing expenses. Hope House staff includes a program manager, peer coach, life skills coach, three peer support specialists and a night monitor. All staff have lived through experiences with substance abuse and are in long-term recovery.

“Providing the right team members for the Hope House was a critical part of the project,” said Mike Taylor, program manager. “We have a group of peer support specialists who are passionate about recovery and ready to help our residents transition to a clean and sober lifestyle. I could not be more pleased with the staff we have been fortunate enough to obtain.”

During the renovations, labor and materials were donated or provided at a discount by Welsh Construction, Spencer Home Center, Rockbridge Flooring, C.A.O Logistics, Natural Bridge Heating and Air, Bobby Slagle, Grace Episcopal Church Gadsden Fund, Lexington Presbyterian Church Outreach Fund, CornerStone Bank, Washington and Lee’s Bonner Program, Joanne Robblee, Higgins Construction, Schewel’s Home Furnishings, Pioneer Plumbing, Rockbridge Church Mission Program, No Limit Roofing, Feed the Need Foundation, Charles W. Barger & Son, Hickman General Contracting, Sybil and Mark Adams, as well as many community volunteers.

Reflecting on the Hope House renovation and its future, peer coach Thomas Whitlock Jr. observed, “It was burned from the inside. You look at this house now; it’s the same way as an addict’s life. We were just beat up and nobody wanted nothing to do with us and then finally someone said that’s worth fixing for something good. That’s the way I like to look at it.”

Hope House, said Buena Vista City Manager Jason Tyree, “is an exciting project for Buena Vista and the greater Rockbridge County area. Most families and individuals know someone who has or is currently struggling with addiction. Our area now has an opportunity to truly help folks in their recovery efforts. We applaud everyone who has donated time, money and materials to make today’s event a reality. To see the vision come full circle has been amazing and I know this will help many people in our community. There is still much work to be done but the foundation is set and we look forward to continuing to work with Rockbridge Recovery, the Community Foundation and Hope House to battle substance abuse and addiction in our area.”

Hope House is now accepting applications for residents. Details for admission can be found on the website, http:// www.rrhopehouse.org. Applicants are required to complete a 28-day detox program before admittance to the house. They should also be residents of Buena Vista, Lexington or Rockbridge County.

In addition to Hope House, Rockbridge Recovery offers many programs and services to assist those struggling with addiction or maintaining recovery. Help in accessing services provided by other organizations, counseling, transportation to court, probation and other critical appointments, and assistance in obtaining food are just a few services provided. Support groups, including Narcotics Anonymous, Grief Support, SMART Recovery, and Friends and Family meet in space provided by First Brethren Church, known as the Mission House, at 7 every evening.

“One unique aspect of Rockbridge Recovery is that no appointment is needed. Anyone can walk into our administrative office at 1809 Magnolia Ave., Suite C, Buena Vista, and get help right away,” explained Executive Director Lisa Houck. The office is open Mondays through Thursdays, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Fridays, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Those who would like to support the mission of Hope House and Rockbridge Recovery can do so in several ways. A list of needed materials and supplies can be found at: https:// www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ ls/2ENI14R49XYF8/ref=nav_ wishlist_lists_1. Those interested in volunteer opportunities may use the website link to sign up. Monetary donations should be mailed to P.O. Box 583, Buena Vista, VA 24416, or can be made using the link https://cfra. fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/ fund?funit_id=1660.