Unfortunately, there are many women in La Porte County that are in a toxic environment that leads them to drugs, crime, and ultimately, jail. And more times than not, when they leave jail, they tend to return to that environment and fall back into that cycle. One woman, Sonshine Troche, said, "Enough is enough," and decided to dedicate her life goal into reducing the drug use arrest rates for women in La Porte County by changing the lives of these women who have no direction or, in some cases, no hope.
Sonshine is the Executive Director of Worthy Women Recovery Home, a not for profit organization that helps women coming specifically from the La Porte County Jail system that have substance abuse problems and non-violent offenders, with programs, speakers and education to help them get ready to be integrated back into society. The Worthy Women Recovery Home will be a secure, structured facility that will help these women feel safe and will help them become reacquainted with society. Sonshine explained that the program lasts a minimum of six months with a maximum stay of two years.
"They will have to sign a contract, work, pay rent, they will maintain the home, do different programs, they will volunteer in the community, they will have to get their GED and sign up college, and be willing to abide by the rules here...we will hold them accountable so they have the greatest availability of success. We want to reduce the re-arrest rates and produce positive and sober members of society. That's our goal," Sonshine said.
The home itself is located at 1001 Maple Avenue in La Porte and had to be completely gutted and restructured internally. Funding comes strictly from donations from the community and through fundraising dinners and other events. With hardly any funds, many businesses and organizations who believe in the vision and potential have donated time and supplies, or have offered services at reduced prices. The building was purchased in 2011 and with volunteer help it is taking time to complete, but Sonshine is optimistic with all of the volunteer work that it could be ready to open in the spring of 2015. She is extremely grateful for those volunteers, businesses and organizations in the community that believe her goal and share her vision of reducing the crime rate and drug abuse in their community.
Her ultimate goal is to make this home successful enough to open a bigger women's facility and a men's facility, and hopefully a teen facility, with this home becoming an intake facility to send them to the other homes to help those in need.
"We need so much here in La Porte County and I hope we will have these facilities and really turn La Porte County around in terms of substance abuse arrests," Sonshine said.
To donate or to learn more about Worthy Recovery, go to www.worthyrecovery.org