Sticking together Just like every individual client, each house has its own personality, according to Scott. One house, for instance, brings together parolees and people on probation, and another boards men with mental illness. Because residents attend outpatient programs and 12-step groups, they experience a fair amount of diversity and diering perspectives in their day-to-day. Coming home to a warm atmosphere with like-minded, recovery-focused peers goes a long way towards developing a person’s long term support network, especially for those with little outside support in their recovery. “Coming in from the streets, a lot of these men don’t have families,” Scott says. “We provide the home and family atmosphere that was missing from their lives.” And for those with families, EMSC prepares them for a smooth homecoming. “To see the men go back to their houses and their wives, their children, their fathers,” says Founder Renee Payton, “that’s the blessing for me.”
Service minded ere is no limit on how long a man can live in an EMSC house. Outpatient drug and alcohol recovery programs oered through partner organizations typically run 12 months, but Scott says she often sees clients stay well beyond that time frame. She says the extended stay is partially due to clients nding their niche volunteering and immersion into the greater community. “ey get involved very deeply in [community service],” Scott says. “It helps give them a new sense of purpose.” While the men are encouraged to work a job if they can, not all are ready or able to make the commitment right away.ey need time to focus on self-improvement and acclimate to the new environment. Soon enough, however, many are ready to volunteer and serve the community that has given them a new home. ey clean up the streets, sidewalks and neighborhoods, and lend neighbors a hand when they need it. In doing so, EMSC residents build ties with one another and earn the respect of community members.eir service helps to mitigate any preconceived concerns a neighborhood may have had about living next to recovering addicts and ex-convicts.e message of recovery spreads throughout the community to diminish negative stigmas, which can make it easier for more and more addicts to reach out for help. “We make it a point to get involved in the community, and they’ve welcomed us wonderfully,” says Scott.
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