What used to be a traditional shelter has changed.
Guiding Light, 255 Division Ave. S, Grand Rapids, has a wonderful back-to-work program for men and women. Men can stay with Guiding Light for 120 days and are worked with on a case-by-case basis to get back on their feet. In our Motivational Monday segment, we learned The Rapid plays a crucial role by providing discounted bus passes.
Guiding Light has a long-term recovery program for men that is 6 to 9 months and it's a whole body recovery program which includes moving into transitional housing getting back into the workforce and re-engaging men back into the community. If men stick to the program they're getting into housing and they`re taking care of their families. Guiding Light has so many than men in recovery who have been completely estranged from families. When they stick to the program, they get good results from the program, they go into Iron House to get full-time jobs they're engaging with families.
After one year, 76 percent are sober, which can be unheard of if someone goes to a one month sobriety recovery center, according to Starla McDermott, Development Director.
The recovery program is a four month program, followed by men being able to look for work. They also qualify to move into Iron House, which is a sober living apartment complex that houses about 37 men. This allows the men to have an address while job searching, too.
A lot of times these men need interview clothes along with steel toe boots, work gloves, uniforms, etc. Donations are always welcome but monetary donations are highly encouraged. It costs about $10,000 for a guy to go through a recovery program.
While a lot of focus is on getting men re-engaged with society, The Job Post is for both men and women to find a new career. To learn more about ways Guiding Light can help, visit https://guidinglightworks.org/
