Houston non-profit Passages closes down but helps The Women’s Home
Houston nonprofit closing doors, creates opportunity for another
We know more people are suffering mental health crises post the COVID-19 pandemic and more organizations designed to help are struggling due to decreasing donations. However, one nonprofit closing its doors is a major window of opportunity opening for another.
HOUSTON - We know more people are suffering mental health crises post pandemic, and more organizations designed to help are also struggling due to decreasing donations. However, one Houston non-profit closing its doors is a major window of opportunity opening for another.
It was devastating for the folks at Passages to learn they’d have to shut down and wouldn’t be there for all the women who need them for addiction and mental health help. As it turns out, though, they will still help in a big way, not only area ladies but also a Houston non-profit.
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There are nearly one million reasons why the staff at Passages turned their sadness into smiles.
"There were lots of tears shed," says Passages Board of Directors President Waynette Brunkhorst.
After closing the Passages home, which had been in Houston more than 40 years housing women in recovery after substance abuse and mental health treatment, and after selling their shuttered organization, Passages donated $800,000 of the property’s proceeds to The Women’s Home.
"This will make a tremendous difference. We are going to use that money to seed an intensive outpatient program for women with substance use disorders, and mental health conditions," explains CEO of the Women's Home Anna Coffey.
"We did it because it was our passion to help women with addiction. (And you guys have each been touched personally by addiction?) Many of us have," Brunkhorst adds.
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In fact, Waynette Brunkhorst began helping others after her son battled addiction and won. He’s been clean six years.
"It was difficult for us to see him in that situation before he wanted to get help, and we knew he needed help," Brunkhorst explains.
"There is help out there, and it takes a lot of courage to reach out and ask for that help," Coffey adds.
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The Women’s Home has been helping Houston women struggling with addiction and mental health concerns for over 60 years. The need has increased tremendously since 2020.
"Substance use disorders, they grow in isolation, and we all had to be isolated like three years. Anyone that had a substance use disorder or a mental health condition prior to the pandemic, those conditions have worsened significantly," says Coffey. So options like the Women’s Home Whole Life program are critical, and now one non-profit’s ending means a whole new beginning for the initiative, which is offering hope and healing for Houston women in need.
"This grant will seed that program and will be able to serve thousands of women over the next few years," Smiles Coffey.
The Passages staff isn’t only passing on proceeds but also their passion and partnership to The Women’s Home. You see, they’ve agreed to serve on the non-profit’s advisory board, in addition to the near million-dollar gift.