Blanchet House — Serving Hope in the City and the Farm

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    In the heart of Old Town Portland lies the Blanchet House of Hospitality. Since 1952, it has offered a simple promise to anyone in need of a meal or a fresh start. By focusing on providing essential services with dignity, Blanchet House has done more than just help people survive, instead offering them a path toward long-term stability.

Blanchet Farm

    Though the most visible parts of the work at Blanchet House have been the meal service at the Founders Café; Monday through Saturday for breakfast, lunch and dinner; and the women’s shelter at Bethanie’s Room providing overnight shelter for up to 75 women per night, Blanchet House’s lesser-known program; The Blanchet Farm; has provided a new model for helping men suffering from addiction and houselessness. 

    The Blanchet Farm located in Yamhill county, offers a deeper, more intensive opportunity for recovery and rehabilitation. The free, residential program where men struggling with addiction, unemployment, and houselessness can immerse themselves in a structured, sober environment. 

    As part of the program, residents are provided with free room and board for 8 months, clothing, personal case managers to help navigate the complex web of services and a 12-step recovery program all in a drug and alcohol free environment. 

Soap Made by Blanchet Farm Residents

The cost of the program?

    Moderate work duties and the opportunity to learn a variety of translatable and employable trades including beekeeping, gardening, animal care and woodworking. By virtue of a network of donors, Blanchett Farm is completely free. By designing a recovery program where residents take part in the communal duties associated with the farm, Blanchet Farm is able to provide residents with the tools needed to ensure a meaningful recovery. 

Recovery program at farm helps people in Oregon reach sobriety | kgw.com
Chickens at Blanchet Farm

    For those interested in supporting Blanchet Farm, a booth selling Blanchett farm goods can be found in the summer at the McMinnville Farmers Market, while honey and hand-crafted wooden goods can be found online on their website. For those with farm experience, volunteer opportunities are plentiful. 

    Blanchet Farm proves that rehabilitation can be fun, rewarding without being expensive. For more information on Blanchet House and Farm visit blanchethouse.org


-Max Menikoff

 

 

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