Supportive Housing
We provide safe and comfortable housing to individuals as they recover from homelessness, mental health challenges, or substance abuse.
How it WorksOur professional staff provides advocacy, support, and a low-stress environment which facilitates our residents’ ability to make the changes necessary to support independent living.
Importance of Recovery Housing
The road to recovery from drugs and alcohol is very challenging. Treatment inpatient or outpatient therapy) and attending recovery support meetings (12-Step, Smart Recovery, etc.) are necessary. Recovery housing is also vitally important, but it is generally unavailable to those in need. Those who accessed recovery housing had significant decreases in relapse and significant increases in employment and income and had improved family relationships compared to those who did not.
The Abode, with community and agency support, is proud to provide recovery housing to those in need.
Two Residences
Ontario Avenue Residence
This is a state-licensed Community Based Residential Facility with 8-beds and 24-hour staffing. Most of our residents are funded through Sheboygan County but not all Sheboygan residents in need of sober-living are eligible for County funding which leads to a persistent waitlist of approximately 15 persons. These waitlisted adults very low income, usually homeless, and do not have the ability to pay. They are funded solely by The Abode and grants. During their average 3-month stay, we provide furnished rooms and supplies, all meals, case management, programming (relapse prevention, job search, coping and life skills, etc.), and activities (arts & crafts, cooking, gym) to assist their recovery and transition to independent living.
Clara Avenue Residence
The Clara Independent Recovery Living Program at The Abode is housed at a residence with 8-single bedrooms and 2-hour staffing per day. The residents of this new program (successfully pilot tested from June 2025-Present) are graduates of the sober-living program described above who have a minimum of 4-months sobriety and who are newly employed, yet unable to afford the expense of their own apartments. This program is designed to provide an opportunity for participants to live independently in a hostel-type environment with minimal expenses for rent, thus, allowing them to save money for their own apartments. Residents pay $200 per month rent for the first six months and $300 per month for the second six months. The maximum length of stay is one year. The Abode staff provide a minimum of 2-hours daily case management which includes goal setting, employment coaching, budgeting assistance, relapse prevention, emotional support, etc. Residents agree to random breathalyzer and drug/urine tests. The Abode pays for all costs for staffing, utilities, maintenance, infrastructure, and other indirect expenses above and beyond the nominal rent paid by the residents.
Your Questions, Answered
-
Your contributions provide direct support for housing and services for Sheboygan residents who are in recovery from substance abuse, mental health challenges, and homelessness. This funding helps participants cement their sobriety, gain employment, and move on to fully independent living. The Abode is committed to helping as many persons as we are able, and with adequate funding we have the bed space and organizational capacity to serve more persons.
-
The Abode at Ontario CBRF program, our licensed sober-living residence, is unique in that we serve ALL individuals regardless of gender, gender identity, sexuality, race, ethnicity, and religious affiliation. Our residences are unique in that we are licensed and staffed 24-7. There are no equivalent programs in Sheboygan.
The Abode at Clara Independent Recovery Living hostel program is unique because it allows adults who are newly employed and newly sober to live in a hostel-like environment while receiving supportive case management and saving money for their own apartments. Participants must maintain sobriety and employment to continue to qualify for the program. There are no equivalent programs in the Sheboygan.
-
41 million people in the US need substance abuse treatment but less than 10% receive it. The cost related to substance abuse is a staggering $750 billion annually. Compared to national rates, Wisconsinites consistently report higher rates of drug and alcohol use. Drug-related deaths in Wisconsin increased 50.7% between 2020 and 2023. As of 2023, 3.12% of all deaths in Wisconsin are from drug overdose.
-
Over the past 59 years, we have provided 132,000 nights of sleep for people in recovery, in other words, about 11,000 months safe housing, programming, and meals.
-
Length of stay at Ontario varies quite a bit from two months to a year, with most people staying closer to a year. Length of stay at Clara varies a little less, from six months to a year, again, with most people staying the longer period of time.
-