DAWNS House, a nonprofit dedicated to rehabilitating women suffering from addiction and alcoholism, is in the process of starting a new program that will reunify women with their children.

DAWNS House has guided women through recovery since 2015, and with great success, the organization’s founder and executive director, Dawn Holland said. The reunification program is expected to start at the end of July, once construction is completed on four cabins on the organization’s property in Bend.

“We have a 66% success rate, of over 700 unduplicated people served here,” Holland said. “That is because of the program and because of our structure.”

The program takes in women from marginalized and underserved communities who are addicted and often living on the streets, and provides them shelter, support and guidance toward a life free of addiction.

Holland once struggled with alcoholism and addiction and her approach to recovery is to give residents structure and incentives to stay clean and sober. One of those incentives for women at DAWNS House will be reunification with their children.

The reunification program is something DAWNS House has not done before, but is something the organization has wanted to create for some time, Holland said. Many of the women who come to DAWNS House have children, and some are in foster care or with relatives, she said.

“We’ve never allowed children,” she said. “We truly believe women need to get healthy before they are with their children. And they can’t do that if they are constantly taking care of a child. They need to be able to focus on wellness and wellbeing.”

‘Saved my life’

Toni Williams is a staff member and resident at DAWNS House who went through the program and is going on three years clean and sober.

Williams said her situation was rough, and she was addicted and living on the streets. After an emergency room visit, the hospital referred her to DAWNS House. After time and occasional relapses, Williams was accepted into the program.

“DAWNS House absolutely saved my life,” Williams said. “Without a doubt, 100%. I’d still be out on the streets. And I don’t know if I’d even be alive.”

After volunteering with DAWNS House for some time, Williams eventually was offered a job as house manager. Then, after two years clean and sober, she got her certification to work as a recovery mentor, the position she currently holds.

Williams said she wears more than one hat at DAWNS House, working as both a recovery mentor, but also as a transition specialist who helps the women in the program get into permanent housing.

Williams said the lived experience aspect of the program is a key factor. Those going through recovery need to be able to relate to their mentors.

“If you are not a recovering addict or alcoholic, you are not going to relate to me,” she said. “You are not going to understand the crazy stuff I did or why I did it. The means to get your next fix. You are not going to understand that, but I understand that with these girls that come in here.

“They know I am not looking down on them. They know I’ve done everything they have done. I’ve lived there…So, there’s no shame when you walk in our door,” Williams said.

Holland said all of the certified recovery mentors at DAWNS House came from addiction, went through the program and became mentors. People like Williams are testament to the effectiveness of the program, Holland said.

Unbelievable support

Bruce Abernethy, the former mayor of Bend and a long-time supporter of DAWNS House, said it is mind boggling how much it has grown since its founding in 2015.

“I think what Dawn provides is tough love with unbelievable support, and accountability if you mess up,” Abernethy said.

Abernethy believes programs like those offered by DAWNS House are exactly the approach the community needs when it comes to providing opportunities for recovery. “One of the things I really like about DAWNS House is that all of the incentives are properly aligned,” he said. “You have people really working hard to stay clean and stay sober to reunify with their child.”

“These are people who are stabilizing, learning skills, becoming employed…this is what we want. This is the way in which we want the community to come together,” Abernethy said.

Abernethy said DAWNS House appeals to a large swath of the community given its focus on providing incentives to residents to stay on the path towards recovery, an approach that is able to garner support from both sides of the political spectrum.

DAWNS House relies on grants and community donations to fund its programs and keep women battling addiction clean, sober and in a comfortable supportive environment where they are able to grow into valuable members of the community. To donate to DAWNS House, click the “donate now” button on the organization’s website.