TrueNorth, a local sober living facility, is hosting a picnic to celebrate its two-year anniversary Sunday at English Park from noon to 4 p.m.
“The picnic is just a small way for us to create connection and give back to the recovery community,” said TrueNorth founder Jennifer Seaton.
Hot dogs and hamburgers will be served at noon followed by a cornhole tournament that begins at 1 p.m. At 2 p.m., Joe Welsh, the director of Friends of Sinners and a friend of the TrueNorth community, will speak to attendees.
“We have seen his story first hand, and wanted to share that transformation with the community,” Seaton said. “Not many get to hear his story in its entirety — they just get bits and pieces. We have witnessed this miracle first hand and want our community to hear about his transformation.”
In its second year, TrueNorth provides a safe, supportive environment for single women participating in substance use treatment and recovery programs.
Seaton said that the facility can house 20 women and allows women to maintain residence for up to one year.
“In the last two years, we have been able to provide services for over 130 women from surrounding counties,” Seaton said.
Seaton believes that TrueNorth is a program that recognizes the need for community and personal accountability in early recovery and said that the staff at TrueNorth help create a foundation where women can thrive and grow.
“The heart of what we provide is deeply personal,” Seaton said. “We believe in healing the mind, body and spirit and encouraging the transformation of attitudes, habits and beliefs.”
The women living in the facility work to build a support system with other women in recovery and strive to become successful members of the community.
Alisabeth, who did not want her last name published, is a resident at TrueNorth and has been there for six months, 11 months clean. She said she didn’t know what to expect when she first arrived, but what she found exceeded her expectations.
“II was welcomed by many, and I have built genuine lifelong friendships,” she said. “I was literally encouraged to find my own path of recovery….what worked for me might not work for someone else.”
She said that creating her own recovery program while maintaining accountability has been powerful
Seaton said that the nonprofit also helps the residents find employment, become financially stable and be part of their family’s lives.
This year, TrueNorth expanded services to include outpatient mental health and substance abuse treatment in a separate location in downtown Owensboro, which serves both men and women with co-occurring disorders, Seaton said.
“At my lowest point during my residency I found that I was being lifted up when I felt my past was coming back to ruin my future,” Alisabeth said. “I was given guidance, hope, but above all, I was given a support team that stands with me in the face of any obstacle that comes my way.”
To learn more about TrueNorth and their services, call 270-240-1785.
