If you’ve been walking downtown in our beautiful city this summer, you’ve likely noticed Second Chance Thrift Boutique at 41 High Street West. Here, you can find an assortment of reasonably priced and unique pre-loved clothing, shoes, home décor, purses and jewellery. The cause behind this lovely store is even greater than its inventory. Second Chance Thrift Boutique is one of five stores operating within Saskatchewan where proceeds go to the high costs at Homestead for Hope, a Christian residential recovery program for women struggling with addiction, trauma, and mental health challenges.

Homestead for Hope offers an intensive 7-week or longer 13-week program where women can reset, heal, and build life skills for their return to daily life. Founded in 2017, the 160-acre property can host six women at a time and includes a restored stone farmhouse, large garden, chicken coop, library, and peaceful prairie surroundings that support reflection, growth, and recovery.

A resident’s day is centred on community, responsibility, and recovery. Meals are prepared with on-site staff, often using ingredients residents help produce. Regular one-on-one therapy is a cornerstone of healing, helping residents work through trauma while building practical life skills such as budgeting and banking.

Homestead for Hope operates under Choose Life Ministry. Executive director Bradley Holbrook says one of the keys to success for the residents is ensuring they stay busy.

“Residents need to stay busy. We offer programming with on and off premises activities. Everyone always eats all three meals per day together, including the staff. Programming is always changing depending on guest situations and personalities. Individual patterns, thoughts, and histories are honored.”

Residents graduate at the end of the 13-week program and are encouraged to invite their families to celebrate their success and hard work. Holbrook says a client may occasionally return to the program, but that is not viewed as failure. Instead, it is seen as part of the recovery journey for some women. Referrals often come from family members seeking help for a loved one, or from a hospital’s ICU caring for patients who have overdosed and have nowhere safe to go post discharge.

Bradley says the Homestead’s waitlist is currently longer than they can handle, but if there is someone needing urgent help, they will do their best to remove them from the waitlist and intake them earlier.

Recent staff training has strengthened resident support, but also increased operating costs. Homestead for Hope’s goal is to help each woman address the root causes of her trauma, with qualified 24/7 staff walking alongside residents throughout their healing journey. The average cost to put one woman through the 13-week program is $32,000.

In addition to retail store proceeds, Homestead for Hope depends on community support through food, clothing, household goods, and cash donations. Monthly subscription donation options are also available for anyone who wishes to contribute to this life-changing cause.

Homestead for Hope is launching two new fundraising initiatives to support its work. Purpose Coded, one of the ministry’s newest efforts, will offer website building for small local businesses, with proceeds supporting Homestead for Hope and Choose Life Ministry. Add to Heart, launching September 15, will feature apparel and grad dress auctions, with a one-day grand opening sale offering 10% off everything.

The work at Homestead for Hope is a testament to how small acts, shared by a caring community, can change the course of someone’s tomorrow.

By Jessi Swan

For Moose Jaw Express