Friends of Recovery plans to open house

Just months after opening a men’s recovery house in Willoughby, Friends of Recovery Northeast Ohio is embarking on a new journey.

Director Dennis Anthony recently announced that it plans to open a women’s recovery house in Lake County.

Anthony said it will be called the Arukah Home for Women. The name Arukah was chosen because it means healing and restoration in Hebrew.

Recovery homes are built on three principles — hope, healing and restoration — and Anthony said the names of the homes reflect that

mission. Correspondingly, the name Tikvah, for the men’s recovery house, means hope in Hebrew.

“We wanted to first come up with the name,” he said. “Now, we will begin raising money and looking for a location.”

The group We Stand Against Heroin is hosting a fundraiser at the Willoughby Bible Church, 37927 Euclid Ave. in Willoughby, on Oct. 28.

The event will start at

4 p.m. and will feature a spaghetti dinner and raffle. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased in advanced by calling Nancy Inman at 440-417-6949 or Sandy Miller at 440-796-6696. Proceeds will benefit the Arukah Home for Women.

Meanwhile, Anthony is in pursuit of finding the right home.

“I’m looking at many vacant properties,” he said. “However, I would love to stay in this area (Willoughby).”

The women’s recovery house will be similar to the men’s recovery house. There will be a house director, who has already been

selected; a house manager and four to five residents who are in recovery.

Rules, requirements and expectations will be established.

“I always knew we would have multiple houses, but I wanted to get the first house up and operating,” he said. “Friends of Recovery is expanding, the board of directors is growing and we are getting prepared for more houses.”

Anthony is pleased with its first recovery home, Tikvah Home for Men. He said it is operating very well, everyone is supporting one another, growing as a family and being active in the

community.

“That’s what I always wanted,” he said.

Anthony said the goal is to have a total of six state certified recovery houses — three for men and three for women.

Friends of Recovery NE Ohio mission is to offer hope to individuals recovering from alcohol and substance abuse. Its purpose is to provide homes and programs that manage, educate, coordinate and restore safe and sober healthy living environments.

For more information, visit www. friendsofrecoveryneo.com.