Open House Held for New Men's Sober Living Home

By Joe Morey News Editor

The remodeled kitchen of the former men's shelter and Oakwood Haven. More pictures below

An Open House was held for the newly remodeled Men’s Sober Living Home, EndazhiNoojimong, formerly the Men’s Shelter, on Friday, November 1, which allowed community members to tour the facility, participate in a feather pole raising ceremony and blessing of the grounds, followed by a pot luck feast. Gary Quaderer did the blessing.

TGB Member Gary “Little Guy” Clause thanked all those who came to see the remodel. He said most of us here have been through the struggle of addiction. This new sober home is the foundation for a new beginning.

Little Guy told the guys who are sobering up, it’s time for you to give back.

“Some of our people now are becoming addicts as young as high school age. When they become addicts at that age, they never learn how to be adults. This sober home will help them learn to become a part of the community,” Little Guy said.

Carleena Dennis is the director of the new sober living home. She thanked the community for the wonderful turnout at the Open House.

“Your presence and support made the day truly special and successful. From the Feather Pole Ceremony to the potluck feast, it was incredible to see our community come together in the spirit of healing and recovery. Together, we’re building a nurturing and culturally enriching environment for all those on their journey to sobriety,” Dennis said.

Dennis shared with LCO News the process for the home. She said to qualify for the programming at EndazhiNoojimong, individuals must have a substance use diagnosis within the past five years, be medically cleared and have no violent crimes history. She said they do not accept registered sex offenders.

Priority is given in the following order: Lac Courte Oreilles (LCO) Tribal Members; Tribal Members from other nations; Individuals with strong LCO community ties, such as having children or spouses who are LCO members.

“Our primary goal is to provide a safe and supportive environment for individuals who are actively pursuing recovery and rebuilding their lives,” Dennis said.

According to Dennis, residents contribute a modest program fee of $700 to cover living expenses. This fee helps foster a sense of responsibility and investment in their recovery journey.

“We recognize that financial constraints can be a barrier, so we actively work to connect residents with resources to support them during their stay,” Dennis added. “While the facility is not designed to be a profit-generating entity, our primary goal is to heal our community members individually and reduce stigma, thereby encouraging more community members to seek and maintain recovery.”

Dennis said two recovery advocates have been hired as well as a house manager.

“Our recovery advocates play a crucial role in supporting residents. They utilize effective strategies to engage with EndazhiNoojimong residents, enhancing their motivation and encouraging meaningful, collaborative, and strengths-based goal planning and progress. By fostering a supportive and empowering environment, Recovery Advocates help residents stay focused on their recovery journey and work toward achieving their personal goals,” Dennis said.

The House Manager oversees the day-to-day operations, including implementing residents’ weekly and daily schedules, ensuring the home runs smoothly, and making sure that residents adhere to house rules and guidelines.

“This role is essential in maintaining a structured and supportive environment, which is crucial for the residents' recovery and overall well-being,” Dennis explained.

The support staff will provide guidance, mentorship, and cultural interventions within the home and ensure that residents are engaged in their goal plans and following all House Rules, she added.

Bizhiki's TOR IV, SOR program, Lac Courte Oreilles Tribal Nation Opioid Abatement Efforts program, Salvation Army, and other organizations do support sober living vouchers for individuals in need. Eligibility criteria may be different across programs but individual case managers or Endazhi-noojimong staff will be able to help navigate these programs.

The facility’s operational costs are supported through a combination of grant funding and the tribe’s General budget, according to Dennis.

“These funds enable us to provide high-quality services, maintain the facility, and support our residents on their recovery journey,” Dennis said.

Residents begin the process by accessing the online intake application, completing the necessary documentation, and submitting it to endazhinoojimong@lco-nsn.gov.

EndazhiNoojimong staff will screen each application to ensure the potential resident is a good fit for the sober living environment.

Dennis went on to explain that once a resident is deemed suitable, a referral is made to Eunice Zamora (Bizhiki's TOR IV program) or Rebecca Williams (Lac Courte Oreilles Tribal Nation Opioid Abatement Efforts program) to initiate Substance Use Services and to secure a recovery voucher. (The participant must sign up the following day they get accepted into the sober living home as a requirement, payment will be made via the program they sign up for, the process to produce a check from our tribe may take 1-2 weeks dependent upon the process it takes to go through compliance/accounting processes.)

On Dec. 12 the first residents will be moved in and then they will be staggered as they are welcomed in. The home has 7 bedrooms with 13 beds. Dennis also said the residents will have 30 days they have to stay at the home and staff will help them, take them out to apply for jobs and they will also have to be volunteers in the community.

LCO Development did the remodel of the former men’s shelter. Dennis thanked them for the great job they did. She also acknowledged tribal leadership and the tribal grants department for making sure the investment into this program was done.

“This investment has transformed the space into a welcoming and functional environment conducive to recovery and healing. We extend our gratitude to TNOAE, COSSUP, and TOR for funding this incredible community project. The successful completion of this remodel was made possible through collaborative efforts from various grants,” Dennis said.