MISSOULA — Crosswinds Recovery is about to have the grand opening of its new men’s recovery residence in Missoula.
It's one of three sober living homes offering something different to those battling addiction. Crosswinds provides a safe, structured home life and a treatment plan that changes lives.
“This is the first time I’ve been able to do what I’m doing at this point. I have a job; I’m living my best life right now,” said Fred Potter, house manager.
Potter’s long journey with addiction and mental health challenges has led him here, to a life of purpose and strength.
A journey guided with the help of Crosswinds Recovery.
“Most places I’ve been in they’ve kind of cookie-cut your recovery. You know, they tell you this is what you’re going to do and for the first time, people asked me what I thought I needed because I’ve been down this road for so long,” said Potter.
He’s living in the organization's newest sober home. Through months of fundraising, Crosswinds was able to buy property and new office space to continue providing a chance for those fighting addiction to stabilize through a safe, sober, and supportive environment.
“Recovery and especially reintegration from incarceration is one of the most difficult things that a person can go through,” said Stephen Ferguson with Crosswinds Recovery. “I’ve been a part of that journey myself and now to be a part of other people’s journeys as they walk it is absolutely humbling and incredible. I get to walk in the office most days and think, wow, this is what we do.”
Next Wednesday, October 19, Crosswinds is celebrating its grand opening of the new home and office space to share its vision of recovery and to say thank you.
“And we’re just doing a celebration, a thank you to the community for meeting us where we needed them to be for supporting us and for raising funds for us and so we want to continue to offer these supportive services in the community moving forward. And really, it’s just a celebration of Missoula,” said Ferguson.
Crosswinds hopes to open another women’s sober home in the coming months. It may need to; demand for residential addiction treatment has skyrocketed, and Crosswinds has a three to four-month waiting list right now.
For Fred, who is also the house manager here, this sober home was the answer he needed.
"Feels great. I don’t have all this, looking over me, chasing something that’s not even there. I have a good job, I work, I don’t know,” he said. “Things are different for me this time. Things aligned for me this time and Crosswinds made that happen.”
The grand opening of the men’s residence is Wednesday, October 19, at 2001 South Russell, starting at 5:30 p.m.
