Hope House in Battle Creek

Local churches renovating home to provide aftercare program for men coming out of addiction programs

U.S. OVERDOSE DEATHS HIT THEHIGHEST NUMBER EVER RECORDED IN2020... MORE THAN 93- THOUSANDPEOPLE DIED.

AND THE C-D-C SAYSINAPPROPRIATE USE OF OPIOIDS --IS MOSTLY TO BLAME.FORTUNATELY -- THERE AREORGANIZATIONS AT THE LOCALLEVEL --TO HELP THOSE RECOVERING FROMADDICTION... FOX 17'S LAURENKUMMER HAS ACLOSER LOOK AT A BATTLE CREEKHOME -- CURRENTLY UNDERRENOVATION -- THAT'LLEVENTUALLY HOUSE MEN -- LOOKINGTO GET BACK ON THEIR FEET.Lauren StandUp: THIS HOMECALLED THE HOPE HOUSE WILLHOUSE SIXMEN AT A TIME GIVING THEM THEOPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP ASPIRITUAL FOUNDATION WHILE ALSOLEARNING LIFE SKILLS TO BESUCCESSFUL.James Sunnock Lead Pastor,VictoryLife ChurchThis home is being completelyreconstructed to serve as anaftercare homefor men who have come out of adrugand alcohol addiction.9s THIS IS HOPE HOUSE.

ITSTILL NEEDS A LOT OF WORK UNTILIT WILL BE READY FOR MEN WHOHAVE STRUGGLED WITH ADDICTIONALL OFTH EIR LIVES.

Sunnock -What we are finding is oncethey havecompleted a one-year program frosobriety istoo much is exepcted for them.It was too bigof a step to come out of aprogram to find ajob, find housing, learn thelife skills toimprove, it was jtus too muchand many werefalling back.18s VICTORY LIFE CHURCH ON THEOUTSKIRTS OFBATTLE CREEK AND HOOD CHURCH INTHE INNER-CITY CAME TOGETHERFORMING THIS PARTNERSHIP...PURCHASING AN ABANDONED HOMEAND WORKING ON COMPLETING ANOVER 2-HUNDRED THOUSANDRENOVATION TO GIVE THOSE NEWLYSOBER A PLACE TO GET ON THEIRFEETINSTEAD OF FALLING BACK INTO OLDWAYS.That meho addresses all ofthose issues bygiving them a place that is lowin rent,helps them find work, helps themdeveloplife skills and budgetingskills, sothey can be successful, move outand make room for thne ext guy.12s TH IEDEA ORIGINALLYSTEMMING FROM BATTLE CREEKPOLICE CHIEF JIMBLOCKER A FEW YEARS AGO WHEN HESTARTED ASKING LOCAL CHURCHESTO GET INVOLVED TO HELP SOLVECOMMUNITY ISSUES LIKE THISONE.Jim Blocker Chief of Police,BattleCre ekPolice DepartmentI think if you hvae a chance toreach out and work with peoplethat think like you havewalked in your shoes havesuffered, thestress of trauma that you havesuffered, beable to be mentored and coachedby thosetypes of your peers, I think ismore idealthan certainly in a cliniaclsession, although it's certainlyrequired.22s THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THEHOME WILL DO.PUTTING SIX ALIKEMEN TOGETHER TO LIVEAMONG EACH OTHER.

PASTOR SUNNOCKSAYING IT'S AUNIQUE PROGRAM AS THE MEN WILLMAKE AND FOLLOW THE RULES, DOTHE CHORES AND WILL BE REQUIREDTOFIND A JOB TO HELP P AYRENT.Sunnock -The house really represents thelives of the men here.

The houseitself is getting asecond change by gettingrevitalized andrestored, and that is what wehope to do inthe emn's lives.9s Lauren Tag: HOPE HOUSE ISHOPING TO HAVE CONSTRUCTIONCOMPLETED BYJANUARY 2022 AND HAVE THE FIRSTGROUP OF MEN MOVE IN SOMETIMEAROUND THE N.REPORTING INBATTLE CREEK,LAUREN KUMMER, FOX 17 NEWS.AND BARRY COUNTY IS JOININGRECENT EFFORTS TO CHANGE T