BY KAREN BOSSICK

Not every man who walks through the doors of Men’s Second Chance Living emerges a success story.

But Sonya Wilander’s heart is warmed when she runs into a former client at the gas station or a restaurant and learns that he’s happy, healthy, working and sober.

Now, Wilander says, Men’s Second Chance Living needs to expand its program.

“Since the COVID pandemic started, substance abuse has skyrocketed and we’ve seen a surge in relapse rates nationally, as well as locally,” said Wilander, who oversees the program. “We have 13 men on the wait list. We’ve never had such demand before.”

To address the demand, the board of Men’s Second Chance Living plans to start a capital campaign in January to purchase another house for its program.

“A lot of affordable housing programs don’t take felons. And we can’t even move anybody out of the sober house because they can’t find housing,” she said. “We don’t want to say, ‘Hey, you’ve been here for a year. We need to make room for someone else.’ They’ll just go back to square one living in their car.”

Men’s Second Chance Living has raised $375,000 for a second residence, but Wilander estimates it will cost at least $850,000 to see the project to fruition.

“So, we’re looking to raise a half-million dollars,” she said.

Wilander said the board is examining the idea of using the second home for a transitional living space, allowing men to move from the sober house into transitional living. She envisions four to six guys living on the property, each paying a small rental fee and his own utility bills and each enjoying his own bedroom, rather than sharing a bedroom with one or two others.

“Right now, they pay us a small rent and we pay everything else,” she said.

Men’s Second Chance Living opened as a sober house in 2018 in a residential home on the outskirts of downtown Hailey. Funded by donations and grants, it serves men who are making the transition from jail back into society.

One man went home and realized home wasn’t a healthy place to be as he was trying to restart his life because others there were doing drugs, Wilander said. Others may have no home to return to having been born in foster care or prison, or having been sexually, physically or emotionally abused while growing up.

Just giving them a bed to sleep in is not enough, Wilander said. Men’s Second Chance raises funds to cover counseling costs. It gets the men into St. Luke’s for a physical and to the dentist for an x-ray and cleaning.

It also offers a financial education program based on the Skills for Success program that The Advocates offers. Once the men finish the classes, Men’s Second Chance opens a savings account for them and matches what they save up to $100 a month over 12 months.

“They have to use that money for a goal in life. One guy wanted to move in with his girlfriend and her son and get married. So, he had $2,400 to make a down payment on a rental when he was done,” Wilander said.

During the pandemic, house residents have worked full-time and even overtime due to worker shortages in the valley.

They’ve also contributed in other ways. One resident who loves to cook cooks up healthy meals for his house mates at least once a week. Another will graduate from college next month.

“That means we’ll have our first college graduate, which is very exciting. Now he can get a $30 an hour job and afford to live in the community where he’s from,” Wilander said.

“All are trying to pay off debts to St. Luke’s. Those are the things you want to see—being accountable and responsible. You have a debt with St. Luke’s? Make it right,” Wilander added.

To date 45 men have availed themselves of the help the house provides. And Wilander wants to make sure none are turned away. She hopes to have the proposed second home available by December 2022.

Want to know more? Contact Sonya Wilander at 208-481-0182. Or, visit www.msclhouse.org

CHANCE TO CHANGE HOLIDAY RAFFLE COULD WIN YOU $10,000 GIFT CERTIFICATE

Jensen Stern is partnering with Men’s Second Chance Living on a raffle to win a $10,000 gift certificate from Jensen Stern Joaillier. Tickets will be sold online until noon Dec. 18 at www.msclhouse.org/holiday-raffle/

They also may be purchased in person from 2 to 2:45 p.m. the day of the drawing at Jensen Stern at 351 Leadville Ave. North.

Raffle tickets cost $100 for one ticket or $250 for three. A maximum of 500 tickets will be sold. The winner does not have to be present to claim his or her prize.