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A few showers this evening with overcast skies overnight. Low 54F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%..

A few showers this evening with overcast skies overnight. Low 54F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%.

Guest House Secretary Steve Benson speaking at the annual dinner.

Current and former residents of The Guest House being recognized at the annual dinner.

Attendees watching a video made by The Guest House residents.

The Guest House Men’s Shelter hosted their annual fundraising dinner on Thursday. This was the first time they have been able to hold the dinner in three years.

The dinner was held in The Armory in New Castle. The meal was provided by Grill’t and served by the Blue River Future Farmers of America (FFA).

The special guest speaker was supposed to be Kent Benson, but unfortunately he was unable to attend due to an illness. Even though Benson was unable to attend the meal, other speakers spoke about The Guest House.

Parole Officer Cindy Stillwell said, “Henry County has the best shelters I have ever dealt with. I appreciate Henry County and The Guest House.”

The Guest House is a men’s shelter home located on Walnut Street in New Castle. They offer different levels of shelter services, a six-month rehabilitation program, and recovery meetings for men and women.

They offer three meals a day, shower access, laundry facilities, clothing assistance, hygiene items, case management, recovery coaching, 12 step groups, and personal development classes.

Guest House Secretary Steve Benson talked about the four thrift shops the Guest House offers as income streams.

They have Shop 109 that offers furniture and household items; Second Chance Boutique that offers women’s clothing, jewelry, and shoes; The Man Cave offers men’s clothing; and the Men-N-Kids Wearhouse that offers men’s and kid’s clothing.

Collectively called the “Old School Shops,” they are located on the first floor at 1407 Walnut Street.

Guest House Secretary Steve Benson speaking at the annual dinner.

Benson said, “If you haven’t been there, you need to check it out. You might just find what you are looking for. There is something for everyone.”

They also showed a video of different Guest House residents explaining how the shelter has changed their lives.

Attendees watching a video made by The Guest House residents.

Guest House Assistant Director Jeff Passow gave the statistics of just how much The Guest House has helped community members.

In 2020, they rolled out a new “Reclaim Program” that is a six-month rehabilitation program.

Passow reported that 57 percent of the men that utilize The Guest House Reclaim Program struggle with alcohol addiction and 43 percent have struggled with a drug addiction.

Two out of three resident of the residents of the shelter (67 percent) have struggled with addiction and 48 percent have an obligation to corrections.

Passaw said that The Guest House Reclaim Program has graduated seven men at this point, and two men are planned to graduate next Friday. Another program participant is planning to graduate in the winter.

The success rate of the program is 86 percent.

This year, The Guest House Shelter has helped 85 men, served 16,287 meals, provided 5,851 nights of sleep, $1,275 of hygiene products, and 1,341 pounds of clothing.

The Guest House was able to donate 385 pounds of clothes for inmates that are being released.

The average age of the residents this year is 45 years old. The average stay is 41 days. The average time it took residents to get a job is 30 days.

Passow then had all the men that have participated in what The Guest House stand up.

He said, “I want to thank all of you on behalf of the staff of The Guest House, and they want to thank all of you for your support.”

Current and former residents of The Guest House being recognized at the annual dinner.

The services for non-resident men and women include 12 step groups, linking individuals to community resources, and recovery coaching. The men’s’ 12 step group meets every Monday at 2 p.m. and the women’s’ group meets at 2 p.m. every Tuesday. You may schedule recovery coaching on Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

If residents do not want to participate in any of the programs offered, they can participate in The Guest House’s Emergency Shelter option which allows them to stay up to 14 days every 30 days.

The Short-term option is for men who may be waiting on housing or placement into another facility. Long-term stays can be six months to one year long and are for men who need assistance with employment, housing, are on parole, house arrest, or drug court.

The Guest House’s goal is to provide a structured, loving environment that enables its residents to successfully work through an individualized program of recovery and to begin a new way of life free from addiction. At this time there is no cost for their programs, but they do ask for donations.

If you would like to donate to The Guest House they are in need of bottled water, potatoes, onions, disposable razors, bleach and general cleaners. You can find more information on donating at https://www.theguest housenc.org/give-goods.

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