Guiding Light starts new recovery program for women [Video]

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — There is a new program in Grand Rapids giving women a safe space to recover from addiction.

The Guiding Light women’s recovery program started in June to address a need in the community. In 2022, there were more than 48 million Americans over the age of 12 who had a substance abuse disorder, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

The new program includes two houses for women to work together to overcome their addiction. There are eight women in one of the houses called ‘Kendra’s House’. The home was named in honor of a woman named Kendra, who lost her life to addiction.

“Kendra looks normal and then her life is cut short due to alcoholism. For us that have been in addiction, we always think that final death will not happen to us,” Brian Elve, the executive director of Guiding Light, said. “We …