Jan 15, 2017 3 min read

If just one life was saved by the Bird Sisters House in Waynesburg over the past year, then it’s been well worth the effort.

The sober living residence on Richhill Street can house up to six women at a time, but the home has struggled to reach capacity since it opened last January.

The home is designed for women in recovery from drug and alcohol abuse, although it is not considered a rehabilitation clinic.

There are currently two women living at the house and paying rent. But that’s not nearly enough for the home to become self-funded, which is one of the requirements under the Oxford House rules that govern the residence.

That has become an issue as the Community Recovery Committee of Steps Inside, a Waynesburg nonprofit rehabilitation program that has managed the house, has drawn down its funds to keep the house operating. In comparison, the men’s Cumberland Oxford House in Waynesburg has been operating at or near capacity since it opened in November 2014.

During a Jan. 9 committee meeting to discuss the future of the Bird Sisters house, it was decided that the property’s owner, Annette Phillips, will take on the financial responsibilities to keep the house running in the same model as the Oxford House charter. The rules include a zero-tolerance policy for drugs and alcohol, and residents must pay rent and other expenses to live there. Also, each person must participate in the democratic process of running the house.

The fact that Phillips, along with “founding mothers” Lynn Bird and Bonnie Fisher, are willing to continue operating the house despite setbacks over the past year is encouraging. They see the value of the house and are willing to invest their time and money to ensure it helps those in need.

Some women who lived in the house have relapsed, while others thrived. One of the success stories is 36-year-old Lisa Hughes, who moved into the house shortly after it opened. She had battled addiction for 11 years, but found a safe place to rebuild her life. She left the house after living there for six months and was able to return to her own home to care for her two adolescent children.

And that might be the reason why there has been such a difference in capacity rates at the Cumberland House for men and the Birds Sister for women.

Children currently are not permitted to live at the Oxford Houses, and this appears to place more constraints on women who are looking to stay clean than it does men. The group is now working on a plan that would allow women to bring their children to live with them at the home, although it was not known when those clearances would be approved to allow kids to stay there.

The Bird Sisters Oxford House has given hope to the women who have lived there. It’s important to offer that hope and opportunity to those who want to stay sober and rebuild their lives.

Perseverance will be needed now more than ever to keep the house operating for many years to come.