Featured Grant Recipient:
Mercer County Fellowship Home
The
Mercer County Fellowship Home has been in existence since 1973, assisting adult
males recovering from alcohol and drug addiction by providing a structured
environment encompassing physical, mental and spiritual healing through
educational programs.
The Home is housed in a building originally
constructed in 1927 and served for many years as the Providence Hospital, a
facility for African-Americans.
A Community Foundation grant of $1,432 from the Warren Ashby and Elizabeth Featherstone Thornhill Fund and the Unrestricted Fund has assisted the Fellowship Home in upgrading carpeting in five resident rooms, and putting new linoleum in one bathroom and in the kitchen area.
The Home provides residents an atmosphere that encourages personal growth to change their lives and become productive members of society. The rehabilitation program, which adheres to the disease concept of addiction, consists of daily classes and discussion groups, as well as group counseling sessions.
There are 15 beds available for recovering adult males, and last year the Home served 38 residents, 18 of whom successfully completed the program. Three residents completed their GED requirements, and two others began college course work.
Much of the labor of moving furniture and removing old carpet in preparation for the remodeling was provided by residents of the Home.