Dear Friends,

For a farm boy from Illinois, the Indian summer experience in Northern Nevada is unique. Colorful hot air balloons dot the sky, street vibrations rolls through town, the smell of barbeque ribs floats over the area. The cool evenings, comfortable days and no humidity are all unbelievable! I am grateful to call this area home and I have the pleasure to do work that is needed and vital.

This autumn has been bittersweet due to Ridge House saying good-bye to a long-time friend and supporter. Anne Cory, the chief professional officer and C.E.O. of the United Way of Northern Nevada and the Sierra has resigned and will be taking a new position in the Bay Area. Ridge House, as a partner agency of the United Way, has experienced Anne’s assistance in countless ways during her tenure. Most remarkably, her direction and vision for the needs of the “homeless” has impacted all of Northern Nevada, and especially our clients at Ridge House. Ridge House extends a huge thank you to Anne! She will be missed in Northern Nevada

Even with all of Anne’s assistance, we do face difficult days in the weeks ahead. We seem to always be above our capacity and just don’t have the space to accommodate the need in the area for residential care. As you know, we serve not only the criminal justice system, but also the walk in client who has made the difficult personal decision to take a step to change their lives and address their substance addictions. The sad truth of treatment and resources in our area today is that if we don’t have the space available it is becoming more and more difficult to refer that client to a place that does. With grant and funding cutbacks over the past years for all in the field the waiting lists have been growing at all agencies. With election day rapidly approaching we call on all the friends of Ridge to support those candidates that support treatment over incarceration for our clients. Finally I would like to say thank you for all that have supported Ridge House during our celebration of recovery month this September. You do make a difference!

God bless you,



Dan Drinan
Executive Director

September is recovery month. The Ridge House is joining the national celebration, “To Build a Stronger and Healthier Community.” I am happy to be able to say that Ridge House is actively building a stronger healthier community in the Reno/Sparks area. According to Jackie Crawford, Director of the Nevada Department of Corrections, 68% of former offenders that do not enter a re-entry program, such as the Ridge House, Inc., return to incarceration within one year of their release. The recidivism rate for Ridge House graduates is a mere 9%. In other words, Ridge House boosts a 91% success rate! Because of these amazing numbers Ridge House has received national model program status and is currently undergoing a 5 year study with the Urban Institute related to our success rates!

Ridge House positively impacts our community daily by returning formerly incarcerated individuals to society as productive taxpayers. We also save taxpayers from the high costs of incarceration by reducing future recidivism and thus reducing crime in our area. I am very proud of the work of our dedicated, professional staff. They are all committed to the mission of Ridge House. By partnering with all the wonderful people in the community that help support us through their donations of services, time, and money Ridge House will be able to continue helping individuals who are serious about helping themselves. Please take the time to join the nation in celebrating national recovery month and help Ridge House build a stronger healthier community.

Sincerely,

Lynda Harper, MS, LADC, MFT
Clinical Director

Shelly left the Nevada State Prison two years ago with $21. Since 1981 the State has given $21 to offenders whether they are released to the street or to family. Shelly had been incarcerated with substance abuse problems. Alcohol and drugs caused her to commit crimes that eventually led to her incaceration. Her addiction also caused her to lose custody of her 3 children. Having completed her sentence she was on the street with $21.

Shelly spent a brief time in a halfway house then she discovered The Ridge House. She entered our substance abuse counseling program, was provided transitional housing, and set forth on a personal development plan that resulted in great benefits to her and her family. Shelly maintained sobriety. She then regained custody of her children, found a job and an apartment. Her fiancé remained sober for a brief time and the two became pregnant again. Shelly's fiancé then relapsed. He ended up back in prison. Throughout all this Shelly held the line, remained sober, and supported her family—now havibng four children with the addition of her 4-month-old son. Shelly says she is productive, sober, and happy, struggling as a single mom, but happy.

“If it were not for Ridge House, I don’t know where I would be." Shelly said. "Probably back in prison, and only God knows where my kids would be.”

Ridge House success stories like these translate to family reunification, job retention and sobriety. They also translate to less crime, less economic and social costs to victims of crime and our community. By not returning ex offenders to prison, Ridge House saved the State of Nevada $3 million last year alone!

The success of this program, as Shelly and her children testify, is due to the untiring dedication of a staff that works amid all the struggles of reduced budgets and aid to programs such as ours. The success of Shelly and others like her can also be attributed to an original grant, 25 years ago that allowed The Ridge House to purchase our first residential house on Ridge Street. HUD and the City of Reno came together to contribute $96,000 for the purchase of that first house. Over the years, that allocation has leveraged subsequent grants: $175,00 from the County HOME Consortium; $428,00 from the State Housing Trust Funds; and $250,000 from the Department of Justice Re-Entry program.

Dan Drinan, the Executive Director of Ridge House says that the program enjoys the complete support of US Senator John Ensign who himself worked in a prison ministry with his Church in Southern Nevada. Support for Ridge House and programs like it are cost-effective means to relieve the stress on prisons by decreasing the recidivism rate. Dan maintains that for every dollar spent on housing and treatment, seven dollars are saved in criminal justice costs.

Shelly is a productive member of her community and a struggling single mom. She continues to participate in AA and NA meetings to keep sober and support her family. Shelly has no desire, no tempting craving to retreat and go back to where she was.
It is the dedicated staff at Ridge House that assist her on her journey.