Newly restored men’s recovery home works to restore lives

GREEN BAY, Wis. (WBAY) - In post-pandemic times, the need has never been greater for alcohol and drug abuse treatment facilities and recovery homes.

The Jackie Nitschke Center in Green Bay restored an old house into a men’s recovery home. The home was built in the late 1800′s, was renovated to help men struggling with addiction sustain their progress and move toward independent living.

They are transitioning their current residents in their men’s recovery home down the street into this new home that is set to open on September 1st.

“This is a place where men who are in recovery from substance abuse can live in a sober, peer-supported environment and a community where they can be of help to each other,” said Larry Connors, Chief Executive Officer for the Jackie Nitschke Center.

This recovery home is just one of several recovery homes the Nitschke Center owns and operates throughout our community. The house has a capacity of 12 men who can stay for up to 18 months. As those men leave, they will continue taking others in to keep it fully occupied. The home offers recovery programs with the full support of the Center’s campus right next door.

Connors said nationally there has been a 30% increase in relapses and overdoses since the pandemic began.

“There’s an absolute need for this type of housing and we know that from our own experience that we continually see a waiting list for people wanting to get in,” Connors said.

One former resident of the Jackie Nitschke Center’s recovery homes says he wouldn’t be alive today if it wasn’t for them taking him in.

“It’s really changed my life, just vastly, and changed my whole outlook on the way that I interact with the community and try and give back the way that they were able to give to me,” said Peter Silski, a former resident of the Center’s recovery home.

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