(WXMI) — Kendra's House, Guiding Light's first women's recovery program, has been providing a safe space for women battling addiction for the past year.
The home, which opened last year in honor of Kendra who battled alcoholism, allows 12 women at a time to participate in the program. In the last year, 35 women entered the program and nine have completed it.
"It means a lot to our family to have this house dedicated in memory of our daughter, Kendra. We're very excited for Guiding Light's long-term program at no cost to residents or their families. Our prayer is that it will help a lot of ladies," Marcia Draft, Kendra's mother, said.
Samantha Belanger, who completed the program and now serves as house manager, emphasized the importance of the recovery space.
"This house is extremely important to recovery. It's a safe space where we can tell the truth. We can be honest and willing and show our commitment. This place teaches responsibility and community and it's priceless," Belanger said.
According to data from Kent County, roughly 8% of adults reported heavy drinking in 2 024. Heavy drinking is defined as 15 or more drinks a week for men or 8 or more drinks for women. The rate of heavy drinking is on the rise, the county says, meaning resources like Kendra's House become that much more important.
"To add a resource for women in this area is just really an amazing thing. It hits really close to the heart, celebrating one year being able to help women in recovery in the Grand Rapids area," Tori Grennan, Women's Recovery Program Manager at Guiding Light, said.
The goal of the 4 to 6 month program is to help women heal and find their self-value in a safe and structured environment.
"I never thought that I would be here. I am proud and grateful that I was able to create this opportunity for myself. I'm hoping that we can have many more houses like this and just really grow and build this women's recovery program," Belanger said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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