By Michael Quinn

 

Plymouth Housing Group joined in the National Recovery Month celebration with three major September events for our tenants in recovery from addiction.

On September 7, a vanload of tenants travelled up to Everett for the Snohomish County Recovery Reigns  festival. Tenants were able to engage with area treatment providers and network with others in recovery.

 

The following week, Plymouth’s Pat Williams Apartments hosted a screening of the new documentary ‘Bill W,’ about the iconic co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous. While the Williams Apartments host an intentional community of tenants in recovery, clean and sober tenants from other PHG buildings also came to share in the event.

 

Finally, on September 25, Plymouth staff organized our second annual Recovery Luncheon. Over forty tenants attended from five different buildings. The theme was comfort food, as a nod to the role that self-care and mutual support plays in early recovery.

 

Our staff cooked up a menu that included lasagna, pulled pork, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, rice, greens and cornbread. Tenants sat at long communal tables, ordered off of a menu, and were served multiple courses. Many tenants stayed after to lead the clean-up effort.

 

Our Recovery Luncheon included recovery stories by two volunteers who serve in Seattle’s AA fellowship. Many tenants expressed afterward how important it is to come together and share stories of recovery and its challenges.

 

Many Plymouth tenants experienced significant social isolation and marginalization while homeless. For those taking the first few courageous steps into early recovery, the ability to connect with a very literal ‘home group’ of travelers along the same journey is essential— not only for long term stability and recovery, but also for a sense of comfort and acceptance.