New Newark sober living home adds to safe spaces for people in recovery

Ten women who gathered in the dimly lit living room around a 40 pack of Tim Hortons Timbit doughnut holes talked over each other but eventually landed on the same page: The gutters at the house on Awakening Lane need to be cleaned.

Stephanie Vanbibber sighed and typed on her laptop, adding the gutter-cleaning request to her ever-growing to-do list.

Vanbibber is administrator and case manager for Whole Living Recovery, a safe and sober residential option for men and women in Newark who suffer from substance abuse disorders. The organization has established four houses in Newark since 2017, and in April, it opened its fifth location. The new house, called North Lane, is its third home for women only and is located on Newark's east end.

For Vanbibber, this was her second house meeting of the day. Earlier, she was at the men's house a few blocks away, and she had another meeting after this one. Some things never change, ever since she was a resident in one of the houses in 2018.

But one thing that has changed in Licking County is the number of overdose fatalities: The death toll is rising.

That makes safe and effective treatment options for people with substance use disorder such as Whole Living Recovery more important than ever, Vanbibber said.

The Licking County Overdose Fatality Review Annual Report, conducted by the Licking County Health Department, shows that in 2022 there were 58 accidental overdose fatalities in the area. That’s a 23% increase from the previous year; 45 of those cases involved opioids, and 39 of those involved fentanyl.

The report by the county Overdose Fatality Review Committee recommends that to reduce overdose fatalities and overall incidents, the county not only needs to increase access to overdose prevention and education materials but also expand community outreach.

That is just what Whole Living Recovery aims to do. It not only has provided beds and stability for those who need it for more than six years, but the nonprofit also is forming a community and family for those who don't have those connections.

"What’s your goal this week?" Vanbibber asked two-month resident Shay to kick off the recent meeting.

"To really think about the question on this step," Shay responded. "What does disease look like?"

She continued to talk about her son, who is recovering from being sick, and her mom, who is now starting to struggle with health complications.

"Can’t catch a break," said Meegan, a 15-month resident and house manager at the Recovery Lane location.

The rest of the group responded sympathetically, offering support and prayers — until a gray and white cat appeared outside the living room window and the group erupted in giddy gasps.

"We got a neighborhood kitty!" someone yelled as others shouted out what to call it.

'Putting their recovery first'

From the east side of Newark, North Lane is within walking distance of various services that residents might need, such as family services, probation offices and other Whole Living Recovery homes, as well as downtown businesses.

The older two-story home opens up to a cozy entryway and wooden staircase that leads to the second-floor bedrooms. The first floor has a kitchen with white cabinets and wood floors, and a living room full of plush seating and warm lighting.

Outside, a canopy, draped in decorative lights, shades an outdoor seating area. The spacious backyard, which includes a swing set and picnic table, is a yellow glow of blooming dandelions and sunshine.

Kerry Penland, founder and director of Whole Living Recovery, said that when scouting out new locations, safety and accessibility are two important factors. The third is whether the place actually feels like home.

"And when Stephanie (Vanbibber) and I first walked in here, we knew it felt right," Penland said.

Penland is an entrepreneurship coach at Denison University and a Columbus resident. She started Whole Living Recovery as a response to Licking County’s increase in substance abuse disorders and lack of recovery options. Initially, the organization aimed to serve only women, but as the demand for safe recovery housing increased, her business expanded.

To be accepted into a Whole Living Recovery house requires at least 30 days of sobriety from its residents, as well as work with a previous treatment facility. Residents pay rent, but the nonprofit also receives funds from the United Way of Licking County and donors to maintain the homes.

The number one thing that Whole Living Recovery looks for in its residents is their commitment to recovery.

"What we really try to do is set people up to be in an environment where everyone there is putting their recovery first," Penland said. "We want them to want to be here; that’s the only way this works."

Between the five locations, Whole Living Recovery houses anywhere from 25 to 35 residents at a time, and they stay anywhere from three months to two years.

"Some people come in with the intention of moving out within a couple of months because they have a plan," Penland said. "And some people don’t have that plan. Because of the housing situation, there is nowhere for them to go."

Newark's lack of affordable housing is another factor that makes Whole Living Recovery a desirable recovery option. The median listing price has increased more than 44% compared to March 2022, according to The Advocate’s Licking Country Real Estate Market Report.

While in the program, many residents find jobs and get drivers licenses or IDs or sometimes cars with the help of Vanbibber. When residents move out, Whole Living Recovery makes sure they are moving into safe independent living, whether in their own apartment or with family.

Capacity for North Lane is six residents, and more than half of those spots were filled when it opened – three by senior residents from other Whole Living Recovery homes. In addition to two new members of the Whole Living Recovery community, North Lane also planned to welcome a mother and a daughter into its family.

Doing better for others and themselves

Vanbibber wrapped up the recent house meeting by turning her attention to Khara, who was sitting in a corner of the room. She was wearing flannel, and her hair was up in a ponytail, with bangs covering her forehead and framing her face.

"Last but not least, what's your goal this week?" Vanbibber asked.

Khara had been a resident at Recovery Lane for only a couple of weeks, and it was her first time at a house meeting. To calm her nerves, she rubbed her palms back and forth across her knees.

"Can my goal be that I want to apply for privileges and get the car in my name?" she asked.

"Why don’t you just pick one," someone suggested. "Because life happens, you know?"

Khara agreed to focus on the car for the week and shared that her newest accomplishment was seeing her teenage daughter the day before. It was the first time she had seen her since Thanksgiving.

"I’m just so proud of her," Khara said once, then again, then once more. "And I just want her to be proud of me, too."

"You’re doing great, really great," Vanbibber said with a reassuring look over her laptop screen, her gaze serious and sincere.

Although everyone in the room had a different story and was at different stages in their recovery, they all hoped to do better, not only for others but also for themselves.

"Most importantly," said Khara, "I just need to meet myself where I’m at."

Selah Griffin writes for TheReportingProject.org, the nonprofit news organization of Denison University’s journalism program, which is funded in part by the Mellon Foundation. The group can be contacted at thereportingproject@denison.edu.

This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Newark sober living home adds to safe spaces for people in recovery