Founded in 1955, House of Hope is a county-funded organization that provides outpatient care for women recovering from drug and alcohol addiction.
Their unique approach centers around removing some of the clinical coldness often associated with outpatient therapy and instead focuses on uplifting women and restoring their dignity.
Upon its inception, House of Hope called Long Beach home and later moved to San Pedro in the 1970s.
House of Hope’s flagship location, situated on West 9th Street, features a main house that is occupied by 10 women and is flanked by a handful of smaller cottages that house 2 women each.
The property was originally owned by a doctor before it was sold to House of Hope founder Helen Gilbert in 1971.
“These cottages were actually birthing cottages. His widow sold the property to our founder because the mission of House of Hope resonated with her,” said Marciela Gray, executive director. “In a way, his legacy has come full circle because here we are, giving new life.”
Currently, House of Hope has 8 properties within proximity of one another, fostering a sense of community amongst their patients.
Forest green paint adorns the trimming along the roof of all House of Hope properties, serving as a beacon of hope for the women who seek out assistance in their recovery journeys.
For Gray, being an integral part of House of Hope is personal.
In October of 2000, she was a patient, seeking treatment for alcoholism. Following her stint at House of Hope, Gray maintained sobriety for a year and a half.
“After my time here, I still wasn’t convinced that I had a serious problem. I told myself that all I had to do was learn how to drink like a lady. That wasn’t the case, though,” said Gray.
She found herself back at House of Hope shortly after her relapse.
“My predecessor saw something in me, a willingness to help and nack for keeping organized, so she brought me on as her administrative assistant,” Gray said. “Now, I’m in a place where I just want to keep this (House of Hope) going for another 70 years.”
The people behind House of Hope recognize that addiction is a disease that cannot be cured, but rather rested.
For community engagement coordinator, Mercedes Hernandez, the mission of House of Hope is one that hits close to home.
“I grew up here and I know this community,” Hernandez said. “My grandmother lost her life to addiction. Now, with House of Hope, I’m a part of the reason why another little girl gets to see her grandma again…that means the world.”
Understanding the importance of keeping families together, the nonprofit is currently working on opening a women and children facility.
Oftentimes, women in outpatient recovery are given a notice from Child Protective Services that their children will be returning home sooner than expected.
This leads to a mad scramble to find appropriate housing, often resulting in the mother’s recovery being put on the back burner.
House of Hope wants to fix this issue by creating a space where mothers can be with their children while still making their recovery and overall health a priority.
When asked how the community can support the mission of House of Hope, Gray expressed that despite the popular inclination to donate monetary assistance, that is not what their patients need the most.
“They just need to feel like they belong. The best thing the community can do for us is to involve us,” Gray said. “Volunteer work has had such a lasting impact on our patients. The best miracle is seeing a woman come in hopeless and seeing the change occur right before your eyes. We give them back their dignity.”
For more information on House of Hope visit them on their website.
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