The Community Classes Program and Vocational Training Program will be created to better reach the community Healing House is located in. While Healing House's primary mission centers on providing safe recovery housing for individuals with Substance Use Disorder (SUD), Healing House has been taking steps to offer more services available to the community, not limited to those who are staying in Healing House's residences.  

The first major step toward this goal began in March of 2019. Healing House opened the Recovery Community Center (RCC), which offers 12-step groups, relapse prevention, trauma-informed care, nutrition classes and a variety of activities to residents and their families at no cost, open 10 hours a day Monday through Friday. Since opening the RCC, more than 500 unduplicated participants have attended recovery support classes, and more than 300 meals per day have been served. 

As staff marketed information about the RCC on buses, courts, detox centers, hospitals and jails, there was a continual increase of participants each month. While effective, as a result of this increased interest and the lack of evening and weekend availability, the RCC is limited in its ability to serve all the community members.

In October of 2019 Healing House, Inc. purchased a 12,384 square foot building in the neighborhood. This purchase will offer 150 or more participants the opportunity to attend the Community Class Program (CCP). These classes will include, but are not limited to: 

• wellness and nutrition
• self-defense
• mental health first aid
• Trauma-Informed Care

As Healing House staff continues to build relationships in the Northeast community they found a critical need for recovery support services to be offered evenings and weekends. This will provide an opportunity for more community members to attend classes frequently.

In addition to CCP, community members involved in these programs will be offered vocational training programs, designed to improve chances that jobs with good living wages can be obtained. These vocational training programs will operate a coffee shop, pet grooming salon, hair salon and flower shop. Besides the job training, these programs will improve the aesthetics of the neighborhood and provide services for people in the community.

In December of 2019 a full gym with personal trainers will be available to all participants at no charge. The Community Garden program sponsored by KC Grow will offer additional classes such as nutrition, healthy eating habits, canning and menu planning in the RCC on weekends. Together, these classes and programs will serve the community by giving them opportunities to improve their mental, emotional and physical health. which will, in turn, decrease the occurrences of SUD and violence.  

COMBAT Funding: $57,000.00