Every September during National Recovery Month, Queen of Peace Center celebrates thousands of St. Louis area women who are in recovery, reminding us that treatment is possible and that women can, and do, recover and live healthy and rewarding lives. We hope celebrating women in recovery also reduces the stigma and misconceptions that cloud public understanding of mental and substance use disorders, potentially discouraging our mothers, sisters, and friends from seeking help.

Perhaps you’ve experienced firsthand an addiction or someone close to you is struggling with an addiction. An addiction heavily impacts the way a person thinks, feels, and acts. Many people with addictive disorders are aware of their problem, but have difficulty stopping on their own. At Queen of Peace Center, each of our women have the courage to knock on our door and find peace through recovery!

In celebration on September 29-30, 2020 – International Recovery Day – Queen of Peace Center will conduct our first ever 24-hour online giving campaign. Our goal is to raise money to fund housing at three of our St. Louis homes: St. Philippine Home for Pregnant and Postpartum Mothers and their Children, Visitation Home, and Our Lady of Perpetual Help Home.

With a total annual cost of $1,510,849 for the homes (of which $663,000 is funded through kind donations), Board members and generous matching gift benefactors will challenge donors and the greater St. Louis community to put their best gifts forward in support of women in recovery. Recovery is a lifelong process, and our women deserve our support along their journey, including safe housing for them and their children.

WHY IS HOUSING SO IMPORTANT DURING RECOVERY?

Did you know 80% of those who are chronically homeless also experience chronic alcohol and/or drug problems? It is commonly acknowledged that these problems also disrupt relationships with family and friends and lead to a downward spiral of loss of jobs and financial assets.

And did you know that at least 50% of occupants in federally funded emergency and transitional housing programs are under the age of 6? Early experiences of homelessness can lead to developmental delays, poor educational outcomes, and social and emotional difficulties among young children.

This is why Queen of Peace Center exists – to help stem these problems and help women and their children on the road to recovery. And housing is a key component to help women stay sober and healthy – which then directly effects their children and whether they experience a safe and happy childhood.

“Housing is a big deal. It’s hard to think about getting better when you don’t feel like your family is safe,” says House Manager, Angela. Our housing is unique and so vital in the St. Louis community – mothers and their children stay together throughout the recovery journey.

In total, our three residences can house 58 mothers and their children each day, providing meals, shelter, medications, drug screenings, treatment services, and other basic needs. Imagine how frightening and intimidating it can be for a mother dealing with recovery…not knowing where to turn to keep her children safe while she’s getting help. Too many mothers have shared heartbreaking stories about leaving their kids in unsafe environments while they got treatment. Those are hard decisions to make and ones that moms shouldn’t have to make to stay in recovery. This is where we can and do help.

Together, we can care for all who have the courage to knock on our doors so their recovery journey can begin. Won’t you join us and support #Housing4WomenInRecovery?