WACO, Texas — Since the start of the pandemic cases of addiction have risen and organizations have seen an increase in people reaching out for help and recovery services.
For one non-profit in Waco, funds have been tight due to cancellations of fundraising events.
The Sunshine Recovery House is dedicated to helping women who are recovering from addiction.
“This house, our house, gives women an opportunity to start over,” Natasha Scheibe, house manager with Sunshine Recovery House, said.
But for the women who call it home, it is a sanctuary.
“There are not enough resources for women. Women don’t seek recovery transitional homes after treatment because they don’t want to leave their kids and they don’t want to leave their pets,” Jennifer Tobin, Executive Director of the Sunshine Recovery House, explained.
The non-profit provides a safe place for women who are recovering from addiction. Since the pandemic, raising money to repair and improve the house has been difficult due to canceled events and fundraisers.
“Mainly my concern is keeping the house standing,” Tobin said.
And they are looking to the community for support so that they can continue to help as many women recover as they can.
“We’ve lost people. We’ve lost people that we couldn’t help,” Scheibe said.
Four years ago, Scheibe was a resident with Sunshine Recovery House. She had been struggling with alcoholism since she was just eleven years old.
“The reality is addiction and alcoholism equals death,” Scheibe said.
Scheibe had struggled with maintaining a job and relationships for years because of her addiction and was even homeless at times.
“I cannot tell you how important it is to come home to a place that was warm. That I could afford. I felt safe," Scheibe said. "There were times where I couldn’t pay my rent and they didn’t keep me out. My lights never went out. I never went hungry.”
Nicki Frazier has struggled with heroin addiction for almost 15 years but now calls Sunshine Recovery home.
“I had tried to get clean several times in my life," Frazier said. “I was living in a homeless encampment in Dallas. In June, my boyfriend beat me up. He knocked my tooth out, ruptured both of my eardrums. I didn’t want to die.”
It was then that Frazier knew that she needed to get sober
“I came in with an open mind and was willing to do whatever it took to never want to get high again,” Frazier said.
And it was the home and women, like Sheibe, that have inspired her to stay clean, as Sheibe is almost four years sober, and is now manager of the house.
“Me and my children, our new residents, the neighbors, their kids, all of us carving pumpkins," Sheibe said. "Four years ago on Halloween, I was too drunk to even take my kids trick or treating. So being able to see that is a miracle.”
“I carved pumpkins with a bunch of kids the other day," Fraizer said. "It doesn’t matter how long it takes for you to get to the point to be ready. It is not too late.”
The Sunshine Recovery House will be having a fundraiser on March 26th of 2022 to raise money to repair and update the house. The organization is also accepting donations.
