Rising Above Second Stage Housing (photo by Shaun Penner)

By Liam Verster

Addictions recovery

Rising Above buys apartment building for second stage housing

Jan 27, 2020 | 2:28 PM

Rising Above Ministries has purchased an apartment building for second stage housing.

Rising Above is a not-for-profit organization in Grande Prairie, dedicated to breaking the cycle of defeat, including addiction and poverty.

Chair of the Board, Rory Tarrant, says during an evaluation of their services, they discovered they were lacking a second stage shelter, which would provide additional supports for individuals who leave their 6-month addiction treatment programs.

“We’ve been looking for properties, we explored building, but then this apartment came up for sale. It met our needs and was within our budget, so we put an offer on it and were successful in getting the building.”

The eight-unit building in the Avondale neighbourhood will be able to provide 14 beds when it opens.

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Tarrant says this service is necessary, as people often tend to fall through the cracks when leaving these kinds of treatment programs.

“They go back to an old life-style or an old place of living, it’s easier for them to fall back into old habits. So providing a second stage living environment, where they are very much independent, but will have to adhere to a certain set of strict rules, in terms of sober living within the apartment and random checks here and there, but generally it’s a very independent living situation.”

He says some specific policies still need to be established, but at this time they are expecting to let individuals stay there for up to two years, and for them to pay rent, though that may be subsidized.

“We’ll work with the participants to see where they’re at, in terms of their recovery and in terms of their employment , so there will be a bit of a subsidization there. But for the most part they will be paying a significant portion of the market rent at the apartment.

This purchase builds on last week’s announcement that the city approved Rising Above’s purchase of a duplex for group homes.

Tarrant says Rising Above Ministries is trying to provide a range of services to help people break the cycle of defeat, and the addition of second stage housing and services will go a long way in providing a sober, safe living environment. He adds the service will help people become fully independent and active members of the work force.