Oxford House Brings Hope to Recovering Addicts
The most frustrating thing for Henry Trentman at Project ECHO is seeing recovering addicts leave the recovery program beaming with positivity, then come back six months later because they fell off the wagon.
When Trentman heard about the international Oxford House concept, he thought, Holy cow, this makes a lot of sense. Residents have to follow three simple rules to live in an Oxford House: Stay sober, pay your dues and don’t be confrontational. If you stick to the rules, you can stay nine months or nine years.
“It’s unlike any other program in the world,” said Trentman. “Everyone has a different clock. It may take one guy 12 months and another 15 years. You can’t come up with a compact formulas of recovery.”
Project ECHO is the landlord for the Oxford House, a democratically run recovery house where six residents pay the bills. The Prince Frederick Oxford House is in its infancy, with Trentman hopeful of success.
Desperately needed is furniture, Trentman says, so the men don’t have to live out of their suitcases. If you have a dining room table to sit six, small dressers or floor lamps, call Lori Hony at 410-535-0044.