By De’netta Benjamin-Miller, LCSW – Executive Director, Sojourner House
Now more than ever at Sojourner House, we see the realities of addiction and healing every day—not on the evening news or in statistics, but in the eyes of a mother fighting to stay sober so she can tuck her child into bed at night.
For more than three decades, our organization has provided residential treatment and housing to mothers in recovery and their children. Our mission is rooted in compassion and community. Right now, it has never been more urgent.
Now more than ever, we are facing intersecting crises. Substance use rates continue to rise. Housing insecurity is climbing. Mental health needs are going unmet. And too often, those most impacted are mothers—including women of color, women who have survived trauma, and women who want desperately to break the cycle but have nowhere to turn.
We cannot expect long-term recovery when basic needs like safety, shelter, and support are out of reach. Yet even as the need grows, essential safety-net programs like Medicaid, SNAP, and federal housing assistance are under threat. Cuts to these lifelines mean fewer resources for families already at the margins—families working every day to stay healthy, stay sober, and stay together.
At Sojourner House, we believe recovery must be family-centered. We do not ask mothers to choose between treatment and parenting. Instead, we provide a place where they can heal together—with trauma-informed care, behavioral health services, and stable housing.
But the work doesn’t end when treatment ends. Because healing isn’t linear. It takes time, trust and community.
If you’ve ever wondered how to respond to the opioid epidemic… if you’ve ever asked how to make real, lasting change… I urge you to look to organizations like Sojourner House and the women, children and families we serve.
They are mothers, they are survivors and they are worth investing in—now more than ever.
You Can Support Mothers, Children and Families
💜 On August 5, be part of the solution.
Join us for the Pittsburgh Critical Needs Alert Day of Giving and help ensure mothers and children in recovery have the support they need to heal and thrive.
Learn More
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