Category: Programs

Open post The GateHouse and ExtraGive 2026

How the People Who Connect Us Change Lives Beyond Recovery

A young woman once told Mariah Milani that she’d always wanted children of her own. But there was something holding her back.

Her mother had struggled with substance use disorder for years, and the young woman worried about exposing her future children to the same instability she’d experienced.

The GateHouse Mariah Milani
Mariah Milani

Mariah, an Intake Supervisor at The GateHouse, learned about the family’s circumstances during a chance encounter outside of work. The woman’s mother had participated in The GateHouse’s recovery programs twice and had been in recovery for approximately two years.

That progress changed the daughter’s outlook. She was beginning to feel comfortable pursuing the family she’d always wanted.

“It just seems like her life had changed for the better in those last two years,” Mariah recalled. “She wanted to have kids again.”

Stories like this demonstrate how recovery can change lives far beyond the individual experiencing substance use disorder. Families regain hope, relationships have opportunities to heal, and futures that once seemed uncertain begin to look possible again.

The people and resources behind these changes are at the heart of The GateHouse’s 2026 Extraordinary Give campaign, The People Who Connect Us.

 

Rebuilding Relationships, One Step at a Time

For families affected by substance use disorder, rebuilding trust can be among the most difficult parts of recovery.

Years of uncertainty, broken promises, or strained relationships can leave loved ones cautious, even when someone begins making meaningful progress. Trust returns gradually through everyday actions:

  • Showing up
  • Following through on commitments
  • Being honest
  • Respecting boundaries

The young woman Mariah encountered had witnessed enough positive changes in her mother’s life to reconsider decisions about her own future. But maintaining that progress also requires stability.

 

Creating the Stability That Supports Recovery

Rebuilding relationships becomes considerably more difficult when someone is struggling to meet basic needs.

A person worried about housing, transportation, or food faces additional pressures while trying to maintain healthy routines and repair important relationships.

At The GateHouse, our residential extended care, transitional living, and other recovery services help individuals develop the skills and independence needed to navigate everyday responsibilities.

Jodi O'Reilly
Jodi O’Reilly

Community contributions help address needs that might otherwise become barriers to progress.

“People like to see where their money’s going,” Mariah said recently during a discussion about the ExtraGive. “Just reading it on a screen is a little different than actually seeing it.”

For Executive Director Jodi O’Reilly, that impact is visible in the practical assistance The GateHouse provides to people working toward independent living.

“Sometimes it means helping clients furnish their first apartment or providing rent scholarships as they transition to independent living,” Jodi said. “These are practical ways we can help people establish a stable foundation for the next chapter of their lives.”

 

The People Who Stand Beside Those in Recovery

Practical assistance is one part of recovery. Equally important are the people who provide encouragement, understanding, and accountability.

Marisol Reed
Marisol Reed

For Marisol Reed, a Recovery Specialist at The GateHouse’s Mountville location, empathy is essential.

“Everyone comes from a different walk of life,” she said, emphasizing the importance of understanding what others have experienced and the challenges they may still face.

The GateHouse Meagan Halbleib
Meagan Halbleib

That perspective helps staff provide individualized support, whether someone is reconnecting with loved ones, establishing healthy routines, or learning to manage responsibilities independently.

Recovery Support Specialist Meagan Halbleib brings her own recovery experience to that work.

“Working at The Gatehouse allows me to use my lived experience in recovery to help others be successful in their recovery,” Meagan said.

Meagan’s experience illustrates how recovery support can come full circle. People who once relied on encouragement and guidance may eventually provide that same support to others. Together, these relationships create a community where individuals can develop confidence, strengthen connections, and continue moving forward.

 

Your ExtraGive Contributions at Work

For someone contributing to The GateHouse during the ExtraGive, the connection between a donation and a person’s recovery may not always be immediately apparent.

Yet the impact can extend well beyond the initial assistance.

  • A rent scholarship can provide breathing room while someone establishes financial stability.
  • Reliable transportation can help someone maintain employment.
  • A recovery-focused activity can introduce someone to new friendships and a supportive community.

Each represents an opportunity to make progress, strengthen relationships, and build confidence in the future.

Last year, supporters helped The GateHouse raise more than $17,000 during the ExtraGive. This year, generosity like that can continue helping individuals overcome everyday challenges while working toward lasting recovery.

The benefits extend beyond the person receiving assistance. As Mariah’s story illustrates, progress in one person’s recovery can create opportunities for an entire family.

 

Become Part of the Connection This ExtraGive

This year, we’re inviting Lancaster County to help The GateHouse continue providing the people, programs, and resources that support recovery.

For the young woman Mariah met, her mother’s progress in recovery helped restore something deeply personal: confidence in the possibility of building a family of her own.

That’s the potential of recovery. As individuals rebuild their lives, the people around them can discover new hope for their own futures.

This ExtraGive, you can become one of The People Who Connect Us.

Join your neighbors, local businesses, community supporters, and The GateHouse alumni in helping individuals and families build stronger, healthier, and more fulfilling lives.

Support The GateHouse during the 2026 Extraordinary Give and help make those connections possible.

 

Open post Stability, Purpose, and Connection in Long-Term Recovery

Stability, Purpose, and Connection in Long-Term Recovery

Recovery Is More Than Avoiding Relapse

For someone recovering from substance use disorder, going another day without drugs or alcohol can be an important accomplishment. But it’s how you spend that new day that makes all the difference.

  • Did you go to work?
  • Spend time with family?
  • Attend a recovery meeting?
  • Make progress toward a personal goal?
  • When something went wrong, were you able to manage the situation without returning to substance use?

Avoiding relapse is an important part of the process, but long-term recovery involves more than not using substances. It also means addressing the circumstances, behaviors, relationships, and challenges that influence a person’s ability to live a healthy, fulfilling life.

 

The Difference Between Abstinence and Recovery

Abstinence generally refers to refraining from using alcohol or other substances. For people recovering from substance use disorder, it is a central goal and an essential part of maintaining their health.

Recovery is much broader.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), recovery is a process through which individuals improve their health and wellness, lead self-directed lives, and strive to reach their full potential.

There are four major dimensions of recovery:

  • Health: Managing substance use disorder while making choices that support physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
  • Home: Having a stable, safe place to live.
  • Purpose: Finding meaning through employment, education, family responsibilities, volunteering, or other activities.
  • Community: Developing relationships that provide friendship, encouragement, accountability, and support.

Someone may remain abstinent, yet still struggle with unstable housing, unemployment, isolation, or mental health challenges. Addressing those problems is part of recovery, too.

Likewise, someone may experience setbacks while making meaningful progress in other areas of life. Recovery is not always a straight line, and a brief return to substance use doesn’t necessarily erase the progress someone has made.

 

The Everyday Work of Recovery

Substance use disorder can disrupt nearly every aspect of a person’s life, from employment and finances to relationships and healthy routines. Stopping substance use doesn’t automatically resolve those problems.

Someone leaving treatment may need to find a job, arrange transportation, manage household expenses, and rebuild relationships. At the same time, they’re learning to handle everyday stress without returning to substance use.

At The GateHouse, residential extended care and transitional living programs help individuals develop the practical skills and habits needed for independent living.

  • Getting to work on time helps establish consistency and accountability.
  • Managing a budget builds financial independence.
  • Participating in household responsibilities reinforces cooperation and reliability.

 

Rebuilding Trust and Finding Connection

For some individuals, years of substance use have damaged relationships with friends, spouses, children, or other family members. Rebuilding trust takes time, and reconciliation is not always possible or appropriate.

It often begins with changes in behavior rather than promises:

  • Showing up when expected
  • Following through on commitments
  • Respecting boundaries
  • Communicating honestly

Steps like these gradually demonstrate personal growth. At the same time, individuals in recovery may need to reassess relationships and social environments that no longer support their well-being.

Peer support groups, sponsors, mentors, counselors, and others with lived recovery experience can provide accountability, guidance, and opportunities to build healthy relationships. They can also help individuals recognize unhealthy patterns and develop better ways of responding to stress.

They provide opportunities to develop friendships, practice healthy communication, and experience the sense of belonging that makes life more fulfilling.

Over time, people who once depended on that support may find themselves providing it to someone else.

 

Finding Purpose Beyond Substance Use

Employment can provide income, routine, responsibility, and opportunities to contribute. But purpose isn’t limited to a paycheck. It can also come from pursuing an education, reconnecting with family, volunteering, or helping others in recovery.

Someone who previously structured their day around obtaining or using substances may need to develop new routines, interests, and relationships.

At The GateHouse, helping individuals discover those interests and develop greater independence is part of preparing them for life beyond structured care.

 

Recognizing Growth Along the Way

Milestones marking time without substance use are worth celebrating, but they aren’t the only way to measure progress.

Someone who once struggled with conflict may learn to have difficult conversations without becoming overwhelmed. A person who had trouble maintaining employment may begin showing up consistently. A parent may gradually rebuild trust with a child.

These are meaningful signs of recovery, even when they’re difficult to quantify. And because life’s challenges don’t disappear after treatment, neither does the need for ongoing recovery support.

 

The People Who Help Make Recovery Possible

Recovery depends on more than individual determination. Counselors, sponsors, family members, employers, and community supporters all play important roles, whether they’re providing guidance, helping someone find employment, or assisting with basic needs.

These connections are central to The GateHouse’s work and the inspiration behind our 2026 Extraordinary Give theme, The People Who Connect Us.

Your contribution during this year’s ExtraGive helps sustain the programs and services that support individuals as they rebuild their lives, develop independence, and strengthen their connections to the community.

 

If you or someone you care about is ready to begin a recovery journey, contact The GateHouse to learn about available programs and support. Those who want to strengthen recovery in Lancaster County can follow The GateHouse as we prepare to share more about this year’s ExtraGive campaign.

 

Open post Peer support in addiction recovery at The GateHouse Lancaster PA

Recovery Happens Together: Peer Support in Addiction Recovery

The GateHouse Jere Stabley
Jere Stabley

The GateHouse was built on the idea that peer support in addiction recovery — people using their own experience to help others — is one of the most powerful forces in lasting change.. More than five decades ago, Jere Stabley and a group of friends spent their Tuesday and Wednesday evenings and much of their Saturdays working on a house in Lititz.

It needed to be cleaned and painted. The floors needed work. For about five months, the group did much of it themselves.

They were building the first home of what would eventually become The GateHouse.

The need was real. Lancaster had no place where people could go after completing acute rehabilitation to find continued recovery support as they began rebuilding their lives. Jere understood that need personally. He had entered Alcoholics Anonymous several years earlier and met many fellow founders of The GateHouse there.

For them, creating The GateHouse was a way of taking what they had learned through their own experiences and using it to help the people coming behind them. “It felt good to give something back to the community after taking so much,” Jere later recalled. More than 54 years later, that idea remains woven into the work of The GateHouse.

 

Recovery Happens Together

The GateHouse National Recovery MonthSeptember is National Recovery Month, and one of the themes of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s 2026 campaign is “Recovery Happens Together.”

The message recognizes something The GateHouse has understood since its earliest days: recovery requires deeply personal effort, but that effort can be strengthened through relationships, structure, opportunity, and community.

Last month, we explored the people who can become part of a strong recovery support network. Counselors, case managers, sponsors, peers, family members, employers, and others can each play a different role in helping someone move forward.

Those connections can have an impact beyond the person receiving support. Sometimes, the person being helped today becomes the person helping someone else tomorrow.

 

When Support Comes Full Circle

The GateHouse Yannick Harris
Yannick Harris

Throughout The GateHouse’s history, paying it forward has been part of the recovery process.

Yannick Harris once came to The GateHouse needing structure and accountability in his own life. Curfews, daily commitments, and program expectations helped provide consistency while he worked through the early stages of recovery. Over time, his role changed.

Yannick eventually returned to The GateHouse as a counselor, putting his own experience to work helping people travel a road he already knew.

Meagan Halbleib, a recovery specialist at The GateHouse, has had a similar experience. Her own recovery now informs the work she does with others.

Working at The Gatehouse allows me to use my lived experience in recovery to help others be successful in their recovery,” she said. “Working here has given purpose to my life.”

The GateHouse Meagan Halbleib
Meagan Halbleib

Not every recovery story follows the same path because no two journeys begin exactly the same way. But for some people, recovery creates a deeper understanding of what another person may be going through. They remember the fear, uncertainty, frustration, or shame that can accompany those early steps because they have felt those things themselves.

For others, it leads to a career in behavioral health or recovery services. Others may become sponsors or mentors. In many cases, it can be something less formal: listening, sharing perspective, providing encouragement, or simply showing someone that another life is possible.

What was once given to them becomes something they can pass along.

 

The Value of Peer Support in Recovery: Someone Who Has Been There

Professional treatment, counseling, case management, and other services remain essential parts of recovery, but lived experience brings something different to the table.

Someone who has traveled through recovery may understand the raw fear of starting over, the frustration of being held accountable, the difficulty of changing familiar patterns, or the uncertainty of trying to build an entirely different life.

For someone just beginning that journey, there can also be empowerment in meeting another person who has already traveled farther down the road and seeing how they’ve succeeded. They’re evidence that change is possible. It could be a sponsor at a meeting, a peer offering support, a counselor drawing on personal experience, or simply someone willing to listen without judgment.

At The GateHouse, mentorship like this reaches all the way back to Jere and the people who helped establish the organization. They knew what it meant to need support while rebuilding a life. So, they created a place where others could find it.

 

A Community That Keeps Giving Extra

What happens inside a treatment or recovery program lays the foundation. But eventually, recovery has to live in the world outside of it.

That’s where the larger community becomes important.

A person rebuilding a life may need an employer willing to offer an opportunity, a family member ready to rebuild trust, a recovery group that can provide belonging, or a community organization that can help solve a practical problem.

These connections can be life-changing and enduring, or they can be much smaller and temporary. Either way, they’re beneficial. Over time, the person who once benefited from those connections may find themselves in a position to offer that same support to someone else. It’s part of what makes a recovery-ready community so powerful. The impact doesn’t stop with the person receiving help.

Lancaster County has been part of that story since the beginning of The GateHouse. The organization itself grew out of people in recovery recognizing a need in their community and deciding to do something about it.

Today, families, employers, treatment professionals, recovery organizations, community partners, volunteers, and supporters continue to help create the conditions in which recovery can take hold and people can build lives they want to sustain.

 

The People Who Connect Us

That idea will continue to guide The GateHouse as we move toward this year’s ExtraGive and our theme, The People Who Connect Us.

For more than five decades, people have helped connect individuals at The GateHouse with care, accountability, opportunity, resources, and one another. Some are professionals. Some are family members, employers, sponsors, peers, or friends. And some know exactly what it feels like to need that connection because someone once provided it for them.

That was true when Jere Stabley and his friends began working on a house in Lititz more than half a century ago. It remains true today among people like Yannick and Meagan.

The faces may change, but the act of paying it forward does not.

If you or someone you care about is ready to begin a recovery journey, contact The GateHouse to learn about available programs and support. Those who want to strengthen recovery in Lancaster County can follow The GateHouse as we prepare to share more about this year’s ExtraGive campaign.

Open post GateHouse Lititz 90-Day Addiction Recovery Program Lancaster County PA

The GateHouse Is a Portal Between Addiction, Recovery

GateHouse Lititz stands as a proven portal for addiction recovery — offering a 90-day residential program that transforms the lives of 150 men every year across Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

This feature on The GateHouse Lititz was included in a recent edition of the Warwick Merchandiser!

The GateHouse Lititz judges lightly. And when it does, the GateHouse Lititz judges people on who they are, not what they do or have done.

The GateHouse Lititz doesn’t give up on people; it doesn’t throw away souls.

“There is hope. We provide hope,” said Anthony Valentin, who’s been the program director at The GateHouse Lititz for four years. “There are people out there who are willing to fight this battle and help. We want individuals to know it’s possible. We’re willing to walk alongside you. This is not meant to be done alone. It comes down to one person helping another.”

The GateHouse Lititz gives people second chances.The GateHouse Lititz, which is located at 649 E. Main St., Lititz, is an accredited residential recovery facility – a type of halfway house – which is licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs. The local nonprofit takes a holistic approach to addiction and recovery.

“Our mission is to help individuals transform their lives that have been centered around drug and alcohol addiction,” said Valentin. “We encourage them to be part of the community. We encourage them to volunteer. We want to show them it’s about community and what it’s like to give back.”

A 90-Day Addiction Recovery Program Built for Lasting Change.The GateHouse Lititz’s live-in 90-day recovery program includes one-on-one therapy sessions, group therapy, employment support services, life-skills training, accountability, chores, routine development, mental health awareness and mentorship programs. Some clients complete the recovery program, while others don’t, but everyone benefits in one way or another.

“It’s teaching them to live life on life’s terms,” said Valentin, a resident of East Lampeter Township. “Some of our individuals come to us defeated. But we tell them (addiction) doesn’t have to define you; it doesn’t have to affect your future. Sometimes individuals have blinders on and they can’t see the bigger picture. That’s when we step in. We also get them set up with (Pennsylvania) CareerLink.”

Serving 150 Men Through Proven Addiction Recovery Each Year.The GateHouse Lititz serves about 150 men each year. Currently, the residential recovery house is hosting 25 individuals, 19 of whom are employed throughout Lancaster County.

The GateHouse Lititz’s residential extended care is designed for males between the ages of 18 and 60. All of the individuals are from Pennsylvania – a handful from Lancaster County and from as far away as Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Erie.

“These individuals have struggled with addiction in their lives,” said Valentin. “Some have had traumatic experiences. Some are trying to put their pasts behind them. Some are looking for encouragement. I look at individuals like if they were my child, are they being guided the way I’d like my child to be guided? They’re human beings.”

“Everyone has a story; everyone has a past,” continued Valentin. “There’s a lot more to them than what we’re seeing on the outside. The question is: ‘Why are they struggling? What is holding them back?’ I have met some really good people who have struggled with addictions.”

The GateHouse Lititz employs 15 staff members, 12 of whom work full time. The GateHouse is funded primarily through Medicaid, but it does participate in fundraising and grant programs.

“An individual has got to want it,” said Valentin. “We will engage them in different modulates of recovery. Hopefully, they will put their best foot forward. But at the end of the day, they’ve got to do it. You can’t do it for them. Kind of like, ‘You can live a better way of life and here are some examples.’ We hope they choose a productive way of life. All we can do is provide the information and know-how.”

“When you’re in addiction, it becomes natural, it becomes normal,” he added. “It’s a choice, and that’s what makes it hard. Relapse is part of addiction. You’re fighting a battle. We try to look for the good in people.”

50 Years of Addiction Recovery in Lancaster County.Established in Lititz in 1972, the GateHouse now also offers similar long-term residential recovery programs for men in Mountville and for women in Marietta. The GateHouse also operates eight transitional houses throughout Lancaster County and offers outpatient services in the city.

“Data shows that the longer individuals are involved with treatment, the better chance they have of recovery,” said Valentin. “We want to establish a foundation for recovery. As they’re hitting these benchmarks, the insurance company will say they’re no longer at great risk, so they can step into outpatient services. Some individuals may not be from this community, but they want to stay here for employment.”

The GateHouse is here for you, whether you need outpatient support, transitional living, or residential extended care programs. If you’re looking for help now, give us a call at 717-393-3215 or reach out to us today to get started.

 

Open post The GateHouse 2025 year in review — recovery, renewal, and resolve for individuals in Lancaster, PA

A Year of Renewal, Resolve, and Recovery: Looking Back at 2025 and Ahead to 2026 at The GateHouse

In a year of recovery shaped by economic uncertainty and shifting community needs, one thing remained steady across Lancaster County: The GateHouse continued to meet people where they are, helping them rebuild their lives as they recover from substance use disorder.

This work showed up in many ways. It appeared in the stories clients shared, in the families who found stability again, and in the quiet but essential support that helped people move forward when it mattered most.

As we close out 2025, we are taking time to reflect on what this community made possible and what lies ahead in the year to come.

 

The Landscape of Recovery in 2025

Throughout 2025, recovery providers across the region navigated a complex and evolving landscape. While opioid overdose deaths in Lancaster County have declined over the past two years, new substances continue to emerge, and economic pressure remains real for many families. These conditions often make access to sustained support even more critical.

Within that environment, The GateHouse remained one part of a broader solution. We deepened community engagement, expanded access to care, and continued to focus on long-term recovery rather than short-term fixes. Families new to navigating substance use disorder found a place that offers both structure and hope, and individuals seeking change found support grounded in dignity and accountability.

 

What Your Support Made Possible

The GateHouse exists to strengthen the entire community by providing comprehensive, community-based post-rehabilitative services for individuals and families impacted by substance use disorder.

In 2024, 493 individuals went through GateHouse programs across residential, outpatient, and transitional living services. Final totals for 2025 will be available in early January, but the scope of care remains substantial and growing.

Behind that reach is a commitment to meeting people’s real-world needs. Over the past year:

  • 46 rent scholarships were awarded, totaling approximately $30,000, to help individuals transition into stable housing.
  • $66,000 in grant funding was used to cover direct client needs such as medical expenses, work clothing, work boots, and other unmet essentials.

This support is often the difference between someone stalling out and someone moving forward. Housing stability, access to medical care, and the ability to show up for work are foundational to sustained recovery.

 

Where Donations Go

One principle guides how donor dollars are used at The GateHouse: support should reach people directly.

Funds raised through community giving do not go toward administrative or operational costs. Instead, donations are allocated through a simple internal process that allows clinicians and case managers to advocate for clients when needs arise. Requests are reviewed and approved quickly so support can be provided when timing matters most.

Whether that support looks like covering rent during a transition, paying for glasses or dental care, or purchasing work boots so someone can accept a job, each dollar is tied to a specific outcome and a specific person.

 

Recovery That Reaches Beyond the Individual

One of the clearest lessons from this year is that recovery does not happen in isolation. When someone begins to recover, families often begin to heal alongside them.

Many of the stories shared throughout the year reflected that broader impact. Parents spoke about reconnecting with their children after long periods of instability and absence, while others described the relief of regaining trust and consistency in relationships that had been strained for years. Several individuals also shared how rebuilding structure in their daily lives created space to show up more fully for family, work, and community in ways that once felt out of reach.

In the year ahead, The GateHouse plans to more intentionally share these family perspectives alongside individual recovery stories. Doing so helps show the full scope of what recovery restores, not just for one person, but for everyone connected to them.

 

Recovery as a Path to Stability and Purpose

Another pattern continued to emerge in 2025. Many of The GateHouse alumni went on to build stable, productive lives that extended well beyond their time in the program. Some returned to the workforce in new ways. Others started businesses, employed others, or gave back directly to the recovery community.

These outcomes underscore a core truth of long-term recovery. When people are supported with structure, accountability, and practical assistance, they are able to reclaim purpose and contribute meaningfully to their communities.

 

Community Connections That Matter

Throughout the year, The GateHouse strengthened its sense of community and its culture of connection in both large and small ways.

Greenhouses at residential locations became spaces for learning and collaboration. Clients worked together to grow food and share responsibility, including using harvests to prepare meals together. A 12-step trail in Marietta is nearing completion and will soon provide a dedicated place for reflection and recovery-focused practice.

Events like TurkeyThon and our annual cultural event continued to bring clients, staff, and supporters together in gratitude and fellowship. Behind the scenes, leadership commitment also reached an important milestone, with 100% participation in Board giving, reinforcing a shared responsibility for the mission.

 

A Challenging Year for Giving, and a Community That Responded

Like many nonprofit organizations, The GateHouse felt the effects of a challenging fundraising climate in 2025. Economic uncertainty and broader political factors made some donors more cautious, and development efforts required persistence and flexibility.

Even so, the community continued to show up. Individuals gave what they could. Businesses supported clients through employment opportunities and matching contributions. Non-monetary donations filled practical gaps. Each act of support reinforced the idea that recovery is a shared effort.

 

Looking Beyond This Year of Recovery Into 2026

As we look to the year ahead, several priorities are already coming into focus:

  • Continuing to expand rent scholarships and direct client assistance
  • Sharing a wider range of recovery stories, including family perspectives
  • Completing our 12-step trail in Marietta
  • Making targeted facility improvements as approvals allow
  • Coordinating storytelling and outreach more intentionally throughout the year

What will not change is the heart of the work we do. The GateHouse will continue to focus on long-term recovery, practical support, and the belief that people can rebuild their lives when given the right tools and community.

 

Thank You for Being Part of This Work

For more than half a century, The GateHouse has helped individuals restore their lives and rediscover the strength of the human spirit. That work continues because of a community willing to invest in people, not just programs.

As 2025 comes to a close, we move forward with gratitude and resolve. The need remains. The work continues. And together, we will help more people find stability, connection, and a path forward.

If you are able, consider supporting this work through a donation that helps ensure continued access to housing assistance, essential services, and long-term recovery support.

 

Open post Hallie's Journey to Recovery

From Survival to Revival: Hallie’s Journey to Recovery

At age 41, Hallie Franceschi never thought she’d be here.

After decades trapped in addiction, multiple incarcerations, and losing custody of her children, she now wakes up each morning in her Mountville home with something she never had before: choices.

“I never thought that I would ever be here,” Hallie said, her voice filled with a combination of relief and disbelief. “The fact that I get to wake up today and decide what I want to do—and I can change my mind tomorrow if I want—I can do that now.”

But the path to this point was anything but straight.

Early Descent

Hallie’s struggle with addiction began early—around age 11 or 12. There was no gradual progression, no slow descent into substance use. As she put it, “It was off to the races as soon as I started.”

While her peers experimented with alcohol or marijuana, Hallie quickly gravitated toward harder substances … pills, heroin, “anything I could get my hands on,” she said. Even then, she felt like an outsider—someone missing what everyone else seemed to have.

“I could be in a room of my peers and just not feel part of the group,” Hallie said. “I always just felt like an alien, like I was missing something that everybody else was getting.”

Growing up in what she describes as a “good house” with working parents—her mother a nurse, her father a mental health services worker—Hallie was “the last person anybody would have thought would grow up and be a heroin addict.” Her parents’ divorce during her early teens created plenty of emotional turmoil, but it also created something else, too: opportunities for her addiction to flourish under decreased supervision.

The Spiral Continues

Despite her struggles with substances, Hallie managed to excel academically, taking accelerated classes and graduating high school. She even earned acceptance to the University of Pittsburgh, where she planned to study marketing and advertising design. But the pull of addictive substances proved stronger than her academic ambitions.

“I wasn’t able to show up for any of it,” she said. “Could I pass things? Could I write papers? Yes. I could kind of white-knuckle my way through it. But I could only go so far with that before professors were like, ‘All right, I don’t know what you’re doing, but you can’t do this.'”

Years of Survival

What followed was decades of what Hallie described as “living like an animal.” Her world shrank to a singular focus: drugs—how to get them and what she needed to do to obtain them. Everything else fell away.

The cost was devastating. She lost custody of her three children. Multiple arrests led to years of incarceration. Despite attempts to enter recovery and maintain sobriety through various programs, nothing stuck.

“I had completely accepted that this is what my life had become,” she said.

The cycle of substance abuse led to increasingly dangerous situations. She faced multiple DUIs, assaults, and other charges.

“Chaos was just kind of my jam,” she said, reflecting on years spent cycling through jail stays, failed attempts at stability, and deeper descents into addiction.

Rock Bottom and Beyond

Even during periods of apparent stability—maintaining jobs as an executive assistant or in commercial cleaning—her addiction always won.

“Who wants to show up for work?” she remembered thinking. “I want to go out and do drugs.”

The pattern seemed unbreakable until her final incarceration. This time, the court offered early release on one condition: she had to go to rehab. This ultimatum led her to Colonial House in York, PA, where she spent three months. It was there she first heard about The GateHouse and faced a fork in the road.

“I still had a home to go back to,” Hallie said, “but I knew if I did, it was just going to be the same thing. So, I took a leap of faith, listened to a couple of people, and ended up at The GateHouse.”

Finding Her Way at The GateHouse

When Hallie arrived at The GateHouse in May 2021, she said she was “a shell of a person.”

“I had nothing. I didn’t even have myself,” she recalls. “I wasn’t capable of holding a job. My clothes were disgusting. I had just spent the last 25 years surviving.”

The GateHouse became more than a recovery program for Hallie—it became a bridge back to humanity. Staff members helped her navigate the basics of modern life that had passed her by during years of substance abuse and incarceration. Simple things like electronic payments at stores or using ride-sharing apps were foreign concepts.

“They took me out and just showed me the world with this whole different mindset,” Hallie said. “They showed me that I can fit in somewhere without the use of drugs.”

Learning to Live Again

The program introduced Hallie to activities she’d never experienced before—bowling, miniature golf, movies with friends.

“These were not things that I did,” she said. “Just participating with other people that were staying straight and didn’t want to get high anymore, it was strange. Getting through all of that weird, awkward stuff was uncomfortable, but I did it.”

Through The GateHouse’s programs, Hallie progressed from Residential Extended Care to GateHouse Transitional Living. Each step built upon the last, helping her develop crucial life skills and self-confidence.

“They showed me how to do things for myself,” she said. “Nobody did anything for me. They just showed me what I could do. That empowerment—I can’t even explain how much that meant to me.”

Building a New Life

Today, Hallie has her own place, shares her home with a roommate she met at The GateHouse, and works at an aerospace engineering company. More importantly, she’s exploring new career possibilities that align with her desire to give back to others. She’s even reconnected with one of her children.

Her goals have evolved as she’s grown in recovery.

“Things that I thought I wanted, I no longer want,” she said. “I’m trying to find a job, a career that is more authentic to who I am and what I can contribute. That’s become super important to me.”

The Power of Support

As Lancaster County’s Extraordinary Give approaches, Hallie’s story exemplifies why The GateHouse is so vital. The transformation from survival to revival doesn’t happen in isolation—it requires support, structure, and a community that believes in second chances.

“Everybody deserves a chance at success,” Hallie said. “If I can do this, and if my life can change because of a place like GateHouse, it can happen for anybody. I’m not special. There are so many people just needing that little bit of extra encouragement, those little glimmers of hope that their lives can get better.”

When asked how it feels to be at this point in her life, Hallie paused for a moment and then smiled.

“It’s nice to get to a place where I feel like I can just breathe,” she said. “I can trust in the fact that, because I put the work in, I can figure it all out without burning my life to the ground. That is a wonderful feeling.”

 

Hallie (right) and her roommate in their new apartment after Hallie’s graduation from GateHouse Transitional Living.

 

During this year’s Extraordinary Give, please join us in ‘Giving Extra’ to help community members like Hallie continue their journey to recovery and build healthy, meaningful lives. Your support helps to provide a foundation that makes transformation possible. Visit our Extraordinary Give page to bookmark our page and make a contribution on Nov. 22.

 

 

Open post The Value of Physical Activity in Recovery

Moving Toward Recovery: How Physical Activity Boosts Your Journey to Wellness

Recovery from substance use disorder is a process that encompasses more than just mental and emotional healing; it involves physical restoration as well. At The GateHouse, we understand the role physical activity plays in building a well-rounded approach to recovery.

The Mind-Body Connection in Recovery

The link between physical health and mental well-being is well-established, but it’s particularly important in recovery. When you engage in regular physical activity, your body releases endorphins – often called “feel-good” hormones. These natural mood boosters help combat the stress, anxiety, and depression that often accompany the early recovery process, and there is ample evidence to back up the value exercise plays for those in early and long-term recovery.

Physical activity can help stabilize your emotions by:

  • Improving sleep quality
  • Boosting self-esteem and confidence
  • Providing a healthy outlet for excess energy or stress
  • Creating structure, discipline, and routine in daily life
  • Offering opportunities for social interaction and support

Low-Cost Activities to Get You Moving

You don’t need an expensive gym membership or fancy equipment to reap the benefits of physical activity. Free or low-cost options that can get your blood pumping and contribute to your overall well-being are everywhere you look (especially during spring, summer, and fall):

  1. Walking or Hiking: A brisk walk around your neighborhood or a hike in a nearby park is an excellent way to start. These low-impact activities require no special equipment and allow you to connect with nature.
  2. Running: If intensity is your thing, running is a great way to supercharge those endorphins while offering an excellent cardio workout. Start with short distances and gradually increase your endurance.
  3. Bodyweight Exercises: Push-ups, squats, lunges, and planks can provide a full-body workout with nothing more than the gravity and ground as your equipment. You can do these exercises at home or in a local park.
  4. Yoga: Many free yoga videos are available online. Yoga not only improves flexibility and strength but also promotes mindfulness and stress reduction.
  5. Dancing: Put on your favorite music and dance in your living room. It’s a fun way to get moving and lift your spirits; nobody has to know but you.
  6. Cycling: If you can access a bicycle, cycling is an excellent low-impact cardio workout. Explore your local area, find a riding buddy, or join a community cycling group.
  7. Team Sports: Recreational sports leagues are great for social interaction and getting the blood pumping. Many communities offer free or low-cost options for sports like basketball, soccer, or volleyball.

Building a Sustainable Exercise Routine

When adding physical activity into your recovery plan, keep these key points in mind:

  1. Start Slow: If you’re new to exercising or returning after a long break, begin with low-intensity activities and gradually increase your effort.
  2. Be Consistent: Aim for regular activity rather than intense, infrequent sessions. Even 15-30 minutes of daily movement can make a big difference.
  3. Find Activities You Enjoy: You’re more likely to stick with exercise if you genuinely like what you’re doing. Experiment with different activities to find what works for you.
  4. Set Realistic Goals: Celebrate small victories. Maybe your goal is to walk for 10 minutes today or to try a new yoga pose this week. Every step forward, no matter how small, is progress.
  5. Listen to Your Body: Pay attention to how you feel during and after a workout. If something doesn’t feel right, it’s okay to take a break, modify the activity, or find a different exercise altogether.

The Role of Community in Active Recovery

Engaging in physical activities with others can increase the benefits of your recovery. Group activities provide accountability, social support, and a sense of belonging – all crucial elements of the recovery process.

Consider joining a recovery-focused fitness group or invite a friend or family member to be your exercise buddy. The GateHouse encourages our community members to support each other in their wellness journeys, including their physical activity goals.

Integrating Physical Activity into Your Recovery Plan

At The GateHouse, we believe in a comprehensive approach to recovery that addresses all aspects of well-being. Physical activity is a vital component of this approach, working in tandem with counseling, peer support, and other recovery tools to create a strong foundation for lasting sobriety.

Remember, the goal isn’t to become a professional athlete or achieve a certain body type; instead, the aim should be to use physical activity as a tool to support your overall health and improve your quality of life in recovery.

Your Next Step Towards Wellness

If you or someone you know is seeking a recovery program that values holistic wellness, including physical health, The GateHouse is here to help. Our outpatient, transitional living, and residential extended care programs are designed to support individuals at every stage of their recovery journey.

Don’t let another day pass without taking action. Reach out to us today to learn more about how our programs can support your path to recovery. Every movement toward improving your health is also a movement toward sustainable, long-term recovery.

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Ripples of Change: How Mentorship Shapes Culture at The GateHouse

“Restoring the Human Spirit Through Recovery.”

Jodi O'Reilly
Jodi O’Reilly

At the core of The GateHouse mission is a principle that resonates deeply within our community and the recovery community at large: mentorship. 

From those first uncertain stages of the recovery process to helping others rebuild their lives and become contributing members of the community, mentorship is at the heart of everything we do. 

While mentorship is not a new concept in recovery, it is certainly one that Executive Director Jodi O’Reilly fully embraces and has embodied throughout her tenure with The GateHouse. Her approach to mentorship underscores the importance of support, learning, and mutual respect in the recovery community. It’s about creating a nurturing environment where everyone, from staff to residents, is encouraged to share, learn, and grow together.

The Power of Leadership in Recovery

“Anyone can be a leader,” Jodi said. “Whether it’s a house manager or a resident, people want to follow the people they believe in.”

For Jodi, mentorship is leadership. It’s a commitment to helping and serving others, and it can create a powerful and positive change, one life at a time. 

“It’s like a pebble being thrown into the water,” she said. “That first moment of contact can have a lasting, rippling effect. I’ve experienced it first-hand.”

The Ripple Effect in Action

In many ways, Jodi is a ripple herself, pulling from the energy of leaders and mentors who have shaped her understanding of recovery and widening the circle to ensure others carry the mission forward. 

“It’s important to lead from a place of compassion and understanding,” she said. “It’s about creating a culture of inclusion, development, and empowerment.”

Cultivating a Culture of Support

As the leader of the organization for the last eight years, Jodi said the culture that exists at The GateHouse is largely due to the selfless dedication and determined commitment of the entire team. Part of her job, she said, is to provide the support, resources, and mentorship necessary for them to thrive in their roles. 

“I want our staff to know they are appreciated and valued,” Jodi said. “These individuals are the heart of our organization, and it’s important they have the support and encouragement they need to serve our clients.”

A Personal Journey

Jodi said she was an admirer of The GateHouse long before she became its executive director. Both through her own recovery journey and her subsequent professional development, she said the organization was well-known for the lives it touched and saved. It’s what drew her to it.

“I’ve known a lot of people who have been through The GateHouse,” she said. “I witnessed the organization touch so many lives, and I deeply connected with its mission.”

Sustaining the Mission through Community

She’s not alone. Many former staff members and leaders have remained active with the organization, from being involved with fundraising efforts to attending events to mentoring others.

“I am fortunate to be surrounded by courageous, brilliant people who have incredible lived experiences,” Jodi said.  “These are the people who keep me focused on the mission.”

Looking Forward: Building on a Legacy

As The GateHouse embarks on its 52nd year in operation, Jodi said she is grateful for the mentors she’s had and the mentorship she’s seen carried out by others.

“I’m just here to do the work I was led to do,” she said. “My hope is that I’m building on the legacy of everyone who has mentored me and contributed to this organization so significantly for the last half century.”

—

The GateHouse is Central Pennsylvania’s leader in accredited recovery care, recognizing the unique challenges individuals face on their journey to recovery. For more than 50 years, we have helped individuals in our community restore their lives and rediscover the strength of the human spirit.

We provide each client with a support system that helps them break the cycle of substance use disorder and put them on the path to recovery. The GateHouse is here for you, whether you need outpatient support, transitional living, or residential extended care programs. If you’re looking for help now, give us a call at 717-393-3215 or reach out to us today to get started.

Open post Declutter for Better Mental Health In Recovery

Spring Cleaning Your Life: Decluttering for Better Mental Health in Recovery

As the seasons change and we welcome the renewal that spring brings, it’s a perfect time to consider not just the physical clutter that might be filling our spaces but also the mental clutter that can occupy our minds and derail our recovery.

In the journey of recovery, every step counts, and decluttering can serve as a powerful metaphor for shedding the unnecessary burdens we carry, both physically and emotionally. This process can significantly impact our mental health, providing a clearer, more focused path to personal growth and healing.

The Impact of Clutter on Mental Health

Research has shown that physical clutter can significantly impact stress levels, sleep quality, and overall mental well-being. In the context of recovery, where maintaining mental health is paramount, the effects of clutter can be even more pronounced.

Physical clutter can serve as a constant reminder of the tasks we have left undone and contribute to feelings of anxiety and despair. It can also make it challenging to relax, both physically and mentally, and can hinder our ability to focus on our recovery journey.

Mental clutter has an equally deleterious effect on those recovering from substance use disorder. Mental clutter can manifest as persistent worries, regrets, unresolved emotions, and the mental replay of past mistakes or traumatic events. These unsettled thoughts can significantly exacerbate the day-to-day challenges of recovery, sometimes acting as a barrier to the mental clarity necessary for healing and reviving the feelings of guilt, shame, and isolation commonly experienced during active addiction.

Decluttering Your Physical Space

Beginning the journey of decluttering your physical space can be an exhilarating step towards enhancing your recovery environment.

  • Start small: Choose one area or room to begin with and work your way through your space methodically. This approach can prevent feelings of overwhelm and give you a sense of accomplishment as you make progress.
  • Make it a mindful activity: Approach decluttering as a form of self-care rather than a chore. Consider each item’s presence in your life and whether it serves a positive purpose in your recovery journey.
  • Create a serene environment: Aim to create a space that promotes relaxation and reflection. This might mean embracing minimalism or simply organizing your space in a way that feels calming and purposeful.

Applying order and tranquility to your physical space reduces the number of distractions around you and makes clearing your mind of unhelpful thoughts all the more easier.

Decluttering Your Mental Space

Just as tidying your physical surroundings can usher in a sense of calm and order, decluttering your mental space can help you nurturing a serene and focused mindset for your recovery journey.

  • Practice mindfulness: Mindfulness practices can help clear your mind of the clutter of unhelpful thoughts and worries. Techniques such as meditation, deep breathing, or journaling can be excellent tools for mental decluttering.
  • Set boundaries: Learn to say no to commitments that do not serve your recovery or well-being. This helps reduce the mental clutter of overcommitment and stress.
  • Prioritize self-care: Ensure that your daily routine includes activities that nurture your mental health, such as exercise, reading, or spending time in nature. These activities can help keep your mental space clear and focused on recovery.

The Long-Term Effects of Decluttering

The act of decluttering extends beyond just the physical and mental realms. It can improve relationships as well. A decluttered physical space naturally becomes a more welcoming and peaceful environment, making for better interactions with friends and loved ones.

And since the process of physical decluttering forces you to make intentional choices about what to keep in your life and what to let go, it can also enhance your self-esteem and hone your decision-making skills, both necessary traits for improving mental health in recovery.

Embracing Renewal as You Recover

Decluttering your life can be a cathartic step towards healing and recovery. It’s about more than just tidying up; it’s a commitment to fostering an environment, both internally and externally, that supports your mental health and recovery.

As you embark on your spring cleaning this season, remember that each item discarded, and each negative thought released brings you one step closer to a clearer path to a healthy life.

—

The GateHouse is Central Pennsylvania’s leader in accredited recovery care, recognizing the unique challenges individuals face on their journey to recovery. For 50 years, we have helped individuals in our community restore their lives and rediscover the strength of the human spirit.

We provide each client with a support system that helps them break the cycle of substance use disorder and put them on the path to recovery. The GateHouse is here for you, whether you need outpatient support,transitional living, or residential extended care programs. If you’re looking for help now, give us a call at 717-393-3215 or reach out to us today to get started.

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The GateHouse Turns 50: Remembering Recovery Program Supervisor Janice Potter

In December 2022, The GateHouse celebrated its 50th year of offering people a meaningful path to recovery. As part of this celebration, we are spotlighting prominent staff, leaders, and alumni and sharing their stories of their time at The GateHouse.

This month, we’re putting a spotlight on the late Janice Potter, a beloved Recovery Program Supervisor and one-time resident of The GateHouse, who passed away in 2022.

A Free and Compassionate Spirit

Before she became part of the team at The GateHouse, Janice Potter was a resident here. One of her best friends, Irene Mouchlizis, vividly remembers her arrival in 2000.

“She was a hot mess,” Irene said with a chuckle. “She was always fun … just a bit all over the place. She struggled to pay attention and had difficulty controlling impulsive behaviors, both of which made it difficult for her to focus on any one task.”

Despite this challenge, Janice displayed courage and determination through her early recovery.

“She worked really hard on being a better version of herself,” Irene said. “She knew that we are always a work in progress, so she never thought that she had reached a point where she had ‘arrived.’ She knew there was always more work to be done.”

Due to an unfortunate false positive on a drug test caused by an approved medication, Janice was let go from The GateHouse program a month early despite being clean. After her discharge, she was loathe to return to her hometown out of fear of getting caught up with her old crowd, so she moved in with Irene.

“Janice was just the type of person that you just felt comfortable to be yourself with,” Irene said. “She wasn’t judgmental; she was accepting of everyone, and she never held a grudge. She would help anyone in need however she could.”

As roommates, the two formed a tight bond.

“We called each other sisters,” Irene said. “She was my other half.”

A Selfless Life and a Lasting Legacy

Despite her early release from the program, Janice returned to The GateHouse several years later—this time as an employee and mentor. Having found a sense of inner peace thanks to the work she had done in recovery, she was better able to assist others on their own recovery journeys.

“Every year in recovery brought an increased self-awareness and the changes that come along with that,” Irene said. “Her faith became a big focus of her life.”

Jodi O’Reilly, who now serves as executive director of The GateHouse, said Janice was in a much different place when she returned: equally free-spirited, but much more grounded.

“This is something she really cultivated in recovery,” Jodi said. “She did a lot of work on herself in preparation to serve others.”

Janice felt drawn to The GateHouse, Jodi said, because of how much the program had helped her and Irene. Janice also knew her words could empower people during their recovery journey and was eager to offer a space of no judgment. She eventually worked her way up to Recovery Program Supervisor, Jodi said.

“She treated everyone with the same dignity, respect, tenderness, and empathy,” Jodi said, recalling Janice’s immense impact on women in recovery. “She was an advocate for every woman at The GateHouse and spoke the truth, even when it was tough.”

No matter how difficult the client, Jodi said Janice always approached them from a place of compassion. She recognized how crucial this was to eradicate the shame held by so many residents entering the program.

“These are wounded women,” Janice would often say. “They deserve a chance to be understood.”

“Every training we sent her to, she was the best in the room,” Jodi recalled. “I’ve never run into an employee who is optimistic in every situation. Most folks struggle at some point, but Janice never wavered.”

A Life Defined by Commitment, Community, and Character

Janice wanted to give back what was given to her and help others enjoy the freedom that recovery brings, Irene said.

The tragic personal losses she had suffered in life – her mother and sister both dying of cancer and her brother being taken by a heart attack – compelled her to create her own chosen family, which included her surviving sister. Janice’s infectious enthusiasm, her carefree spirit, and her zest for life naturally attracted people to her, Irene and Jodi said.

“She was 40, but she acted like she was 22,” Irene said. “Even in her 50s, she was the same fun-loving person. She loved to see people smile. She had a way of making you forget about your troubles and learn to laugh.”

Throughout her life, Janice remained close to the people she connected with, including Irene’s children, with whom she would often visit, spend time, and post TikTok videos.

“It was hard not to consider her a part of your family,” Irene said.

Janice cultivated her close-knit network by regularly attending Narcotics Anonymous meetings and events, another touch point that connected her with others in recovery.

“Connection was her lifeline,” Irene said. “She got so much joy out of watching people ‘grow up’ in recovery and start to live better lives. She was always available to anyone in need, whether it was via text, a phone call, or in person. It didn’t matter the time of day; she was there if you needed her.”

The Lessons Janice Left

If there are any lessons Janice left behind, it would be her compassion and her deep reverence for every human being. She created a safe space for everyone to be seen, heard, and understood. It may sound simple, but her capacity for empathy had a profound effect on the people around her and it truly changed people’s lives.

The inner peace and sense of faith Janice had found in recovery stayed with her even in her final moments.

“She had found peace with God,” Irene said. “Even in the last months of her life, there was no fear. She knew that God was by her side.”

The example she set and the way she lived her life impacted many people at The GateHouse and beyond, Jodi and Irene said.

“Her legacy will continue to live on,” Jodi said. “She was a light in everybody’s life.”

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