Sanctuary for recovery
The Sanctuary opens in Minot to provide transitional home to women in recovery
Jill Schramm/MDN Assistant manager Sarena Jenkins and manager Carolyn Engh sit Monday in the dining room leading into the living room of The Sanctuary, a Sober Living house for women recovering from alcoholism and drug addiction.
Jill Schramm/MDN A meditation room in The Sanctuary gives women a quiet place to reflect.
Jill Schramm/MDN Assistant manager Sarena Jenkins and manager Carolyn Engh sit Monday in the dining room leading into the living room of The Sanctuary, a Sober Living house for women recovering from alcoholism and drug addiction.
Jill Schramm/MDN A meditation room in The Sanctuary gives women a quiet place to reflect.
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Women in addiction recovery who need a place to transition into their new lives now have a sanctuary in Minot.
The Sanctuary is a Sober Living home that opened May 1 to provide a supportive environment for up to 14 women recovering from alcoholism or drug addiction.
Manager Carolyn Engh and assistant manager Sarena Jenkins, who are additional residents of the house, said Monday the home has acquired its first transitional resident and has another moving in this week. The Sanctuary, a nonprofit corporation, continues to take and review applications to fill other beds. Women can self refer or be referred by an agency.
Applicants include those coming from treatment programs, probation and parole or the Ward County Jail. Although many residents are expected to come from the Minot region, The Sanctuary is open to anyone and has received applications from outside the region or other states, typically from women with connections to the area.
Engh stressed applicants must be in recovery and willing to commit a sustained recovery.
"An individual really has to want recovery in order to be in this house because that's what this house is about - safe, supportive, 100 percent sober living," she said.
Women also must be adults who are employed or in school at least part-time. They each pay $500 a month for rent. Women prepare their own meals and are assigned chores to be completed each morning. They sign in and out when coming and going, which Engh said teaches accountability and ensures staff can contact them in emergencies.
The Sanctuary has plenty of available parking, although Engh said most women are not likely to own vehicles but will rely on public transportation or walking.
Residents are required to attend 14 meetings a week through recovery programs. As they develop job and school commitments, the requirement can be reduced to seven meetings a week. Engh explained the requirement is a standard part of the National Sober Living Association, of which The Sanctuary is a member.
Random drug and alcohol testing is part of the requirement for living at The Sanctuary. Anyone testing positive is immediately evicted under the zero tolerance policy.
The four-bedroom, 2-1/2 bath house features multiple congregate living rooms as well as a shared laundry room and outdoor deck. A salon room is being created where women can get ready for their days. The assistant manager's room can be shared by up to two residents, and two large bedrooms with bunk beds each will provide space for six women.
The group living is part of the recovery model, Engh said.
"We don't want people isolating. We don't want people not bonding as a family," she said. "We are all women in recovery and we support each other."
The recommended stay is nine months to a year.
"It takes quite a bit of time to get our lives back on track. Nine months is the minimum that somebody who really wants this should be willing to stay," Engh said.
Between them, Engh and Jenkins keep a 24/7 presence in overseeing the home.
Engh, a Minot native, was a resident who became assistant manager and eventually manager at Hope Manor, a Bismarck transitional home similar to The Sanctuary. Jenkins, a Williston native, is a previous resident and former assistant manager at Hope Manor.
"If I didn't believe in the miracle this can produce, I wouldn't be here. It saved my life," Jenkins said. "I don't think I would have gone into a life of recovery without the hope and guidance of Hope Manor."
In Minot, The Sanctuary exists in a mixed use area that's a good fit for transitional living. Engh said the women will be engaging in community service as part of being good neighbors.
"We are contributing members of society," she said. "If there's that stigma, our intent is to shatter it because that's not who we are when we are working a program of recovery."
The Sanctuary took over operation of the house May 1 from Power of the Purse, which purchased the property and provided many of the furnishings. Power of the Purse was incorporated as a nonprofit last December and is associated with the Power of the Purse giving circle that is affiliated with the Minot Area Community Foundation. The giving circle consists of a philanthropy of about 40 women.
The Sanctuary is self-funded and welcomes donations. Engh also is available to speak to groups about the program. She can be contacted at TheSanctuary2018@gmail.com or 500-2216. Donations can be sent to The Sanctuary, P.O. Box 1944, Minot, ND 58702.