An addiction recovery center for pregnant women and new mothers built inside a renovated post office building in downtown Columbus has opened and received its first residents.
After several months of delays due to the pandemic, the Fresh Start Recovery Center, located at 703 Washington St., officially opened Oct. 5, and its first residents moved in the following day, said Wendy Haag, the facility’s program director.
The recovery center provides treatment for mothers with children ages 5 years or younger, pregnant women and women returning from incarceration who are struggling with substance use disorder.
The facility is operated by Volunteers of America, a national, nonprofit, faith-based organization dedicated to helping those in need rebuild their lives, according to the organization’s website.
As of last week, there were five women living at the facility, one of whom with a child, Haag said. An additional three women were slated to move in this week.
So far, everything is going smoothly, Haag said.
“Our goal is to try to fill it up by the end of the month,” Haag said. “Under COVID restrictions, we can hold 15 ladies and 12 children, and once COVID restrictions are lifted, we can house on 25 ladies.”
For more on this story, see Wednesday’s Republic.
