Grants offer recovering women workplace training, new beds
Two grants worth a total of $17,900 have been awarded to Southwest Florida Addiction Services, to assist women recovering from substance abuse at its Transitional Living Center on Dixie Parkway in Fort Myers.
The Zonta Foundation of Southwest Florida awarded $13,000 to help the women obtain skills they need to earn a living wage and become self-sufficient in the workplace.
And the Community Trust Fund of The League Club, Inc., of Naples awarded $4,900 to buy bedding for the women's section of the Center, which provides housing for about 27 women per year who have completed the residential treatment program and have moved into the halfway house for extended treatment.
"We are very grateful to the ladies of The League Club for providing new beds, mattresses and dressers for the women in treatment," Boisvert said. "Providing a homelike environment for individuals recovering from substance abuse is a key part of the recovery process."
There are now 17 women at the Center. One said she plans to use the Zonta scholarship to become a paralegal.
"While at SWFAS' Transitional Living Center, the women work very hard at learning skills for the job of living in sobriety," Transitional Living Center director Rosemary Boisvert said. "This grant will help them build on their newfound skills and give them something more to enhance their chances of maintaining their sobriety and self-sufficiency.
"Our goal is to remove the barriers that prevent them from being successful. If they need financial assistance for tuition, we can help with that. If they need help with child care, supplies, or transportation to get to school or training, we can assist with that as well."
In some cases, a stipend may be available to help the women with living expenses while they obtain the educational training they need.
SWFAS opened the women's portion of the Center in 2001. TLC also provides a nurturing environment for 22 men recovering from substance abuse.
Depending upon their needs, residents participate in a short-term residential program or in a four to six-month transitional living program.
A limited number of permanent supportive housing units also are available for families as long as they live a drug-free lifestyle, obtain work, and pay monthly rent that is based on their income.
The facility is supported by 24/7 staff on the TLC campus and medical management is available, as needed, by the medical staff already in place at the SWFAS Detoxification Center across the street.
SWFAS is the most comprehensive substance abuse treatment and prevention program in Southwest Florida, serving 6,000 people per year from ages 9 to 90. SWFAS offers outpatient and residential programs for both adults and youngsters from seven locations in Lee County and two in Hendry County. In addition, SWFAS provides detoxification services for adults, prevention programming, and an Employee Assistance Program for about 80 Southwest Florida businesses.
Fees are charged on a sliding scale, based on family income. In many cases, private insurance is accepted. SWFAS is a United Way agency.
