An Elizabethtown church still plans to open a substance abuse recovery house for women by August — but in a downtown Columbus location rather than a spot southwest of town.
Pastor Mike Harris of Faith Hope and Love Church of God In Christ originally planned to launch such a facility in a home the ministry owns in Garden City near Southside Elementary School. But new plans call for the transitional house to open in a five-bedroom, three-bath 2,200-square foot structure downtown.
The change was made because the 110-year-old downtown structure will require less remodeling than the previous home to have it fit its new mission, according to organizers. Currently, two renters occupy the downtown home.
A plan to house eight women initially has been amended to four to make it more manageable at the beginning.
“I want to gradually see how things go,” Harris said. “We’re learning as we go since we never have done this. We’ve studied and read a lot, but that doesn’t mean a thing. We’re going to have to navigate a lot in order to make sure that things are done right.”
Harris praised leaders with the city of Columbus, the Alliance for Substance Abuse Progress and others for coming alongside church leaders to help with plans, logistics and more. Doug Leonard, ASAP’s executive director, said the local agency is purposely supportive of other transitional housing for those battling addictions since the local need for such assistance is so great.
“It’s been a long process,” Harris said of the myriad of requirements for such a home. “But it’s been a fair process.”
The home, meant for women transitioning from a correctional facility, will include Christian-oriented teaching and recovery programs, drug testing, a monthly cost to residents, a requirement that residents hold a job, and other help.
The name of the facility will be Carol’s House.
That’s simply a way to honor late church member Carol Simpson, a compassionate, soft-hearted LPN loved by many.
Margaret Smith, her sister, mentioned that her sibling would smile at the idea of her name attached to an effort rooted in such an important outreach.
“Oh, she would be very pleased,” Smith said. “She always had a heart of gold and was willing to help anyone, even people she didn’t know.”
Smith herself is honored to see others finding a way to remember her sister.
“I think it’s very touching,” Smith said.
At Christmas and Easter, Simpson always gave small gifts to every youngster at Harris’ church.
Columbus resident Phil Murray, a former addict with experience in setting up recovery homes, will be in charge of security.
“These women will need their privacy,” Murray said, adding that the home’s location will be kept private.
Murray and Harris both agreed that the home will open even without the entire first-year funding of about $50,000 in hand, such is the extreme local need for such help. ASAP leaders have said the same thing about extreme need for such transitional homes.
“We walk by faith and not by sight,” Murray said of not waiting for a year’s worth of everything to be in place. “God will find a way to take care of it while we concern ourselves with crossing all the necessary T’s and dotting the necessary I’s.”
Harris said a search for grants and related financial support has been disappointing and frustrating.
“That’s has not gone very well,” Harris said. “But that’s OK. We’re still going to find a way to get this open.”
