Volunteers of America Freedom House

Volunteers of America Mid-States creates positive change in the lives of individuals and communities through a ministry of service. Different communities have different needs. From housing solutions that keep homeless families together to helping displaced veterans get back on their feet, Volunteers of America Mid-States serves more than 21,000 people throughout Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia and Clark and Floyd Counties in Indiana every year.

Freedom House provides residential treatment for alcohol and/or drug dependent pregnant women and women with young children. The holistic and comprehensive program is designed to treat the women’s chemical dependency, to break the cycle of addiction in families, to reunite families broken apart by addiction and to promote the birth of healthy, drug-free babies. Using an evidenced-based clinical services model of recovery and holistic, family-centered treatment, Freedom House addresses the cycle of addiction with children while simultaneously treating their mothers. The program offers individual, group and family counseling; drug and alcohol dependency education; parenting classes; life skills training; nutrition classes; vocational training and employment services; and child care services. As of January 2018, 155 babies have been born healthy to women in the program since its creation, ensuring a healthy start to their lives.

I have included information about this organization because it is an important and much needed service during this time when drugs are destroying families.  Freedom House, there are three, is where the recovering ladies earn through counseling, classes and behavior freedom to graduate to the next Freedom house.  Some are pregnant or have new born or young babies with them as well as other children who have been removed from their homes due to the drug/alcohol issues, they are trying to get back by completing this program.

My small part in this is to offer Nutrition/Cooking classes to the residents who range in age of 20-42 years old, so that when they do go home they are able to provide nutritious, affordable meals for their children.  As participants in these classes they are learning healthier eating habits for them as well as their unborn child or infant.  The importance of portion sizes, and exercise to get and maintain a healthy body weight for them.  The benefits they are receiving from these classes is learning to eat healthier and to eat a variety of foods;  Ideas on easy foods to put together for self and families;  Food preparation and providing healthy snacks for the children.

When asked the question “Once you leave this program, how is this class going to help you?” the response was they want to learn about foods they can eat to decrease their need for over the counter drugs.