Summertime enjoyment can be simple – A bowl of watermelon, some hot dogs and burgers on the grill, bubbles, chalk, lawn chairs and a sunny evening. A recent summer celebration barbecue at Lund’s transitional housing facility, Independence Place, had all these elements. Tenants brought out chairs, and staff members lit the grill and laid out a table of side dishes. The kids quickly gathered up the outdoor toys and were soon pushing lawn mowers through the chairs and bouncing balls of the wall.
Independence Place (IP) is home to seven moms and their children currently aged from six months to six years. Some have come to Independence Place after discharging from Lund’s residential treatment program for substance use disorder. Once a month, they all come together with staff members for a house meeting. Sometimes this meeting is visited by outside presenters to provide information on relevant parenting or life skills issues or introduce the tenants to community resources. Other times it is a forum to address challenges or opportunities that have arisen in the community, and sometimes, as on this occasion, it is a chance to get together and celebrate the season.
Forming a supportive community is an important part of Independence Place. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) identifies community as one of the four major dimensions that support a live in recovery. SAMHSA defines community as “relationships and social networks that provide support, friendship, hope and love.” Families stay at Independence Place for up to two years but are welcomed back to events such as this summer barbecue after they move on.
“One very cool piece of this event was having multiple families that have moved on from IP attend and connect with current residents,” says Jamaica White Reach Up Community Case Manager who works with families at Independence Place. “It was very interesting to see families who sometimes struggled to be here and connect take the time to come and spend time with old and new friends. And of course it was great to see this extended group of kids play and connect with each other too. What an awesome next generation is growing up here!”
