GREENFIELD — A Greenfield recovery center that for years has served at-risk teens is expanding to offer programs for all Hancock County residents whose lives are impacted by drug addiction.
The Landing Place — formerly known only by its teen 12-step program, The Landing — is laying the groundwork to host free recovery, life-skills and support-group programs for all ages of county residents. Some new programs are already up and running, with more kicking off in the coming months.
The volunteers who ran The Landing said they recognize there is a greater need for recovery options and other wellness programs in a county struggling with drug abuse; they recently began exploring options for expanding to a safe place for everyone, not just teens.
The Landing began in 2013 as a branch of the county’s Life Choices Care Center, a crisis pregnancy center. The program’s young attendees now meet at 18 South Street in Greenfield, and The Landing Place has formed its own nonprofit and established a board of directors to guide the expansion.
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Click here to purchase photos from this galleryAs part of the expansion, the board appointed Linda Ostewig — who was the driving force behind the creation of The Landing and its free Wednesday night recovery meetings for teens in 2013 – as the executive director of the center and signed a lease for the building that adjoins the 18 South St. address (20 South St.), allowing organization leaders to expand the operation physically as they work to implement new programs.
Evening hours at the center will be dedicated to more intensive recovery and wellness programs — some of which have already started meeting. Other nonprofit organizations will have access to the space to host programs that aim to help all adults — not just addicts — better themselves and their lifestyles.
Ostewig said she’s eager to spread the word about The Landing Place’s new mission and her goals of the future.
“I always knew I wanted more than just Wednesday nights,” she said. “I just didn’t know if it was possible.”
Ostewig said it was the students who had aged out of her teen counseling program who most inspired her expand the center’s offerings.
As teen who had attended The Landing’s programs entered their 20s, many still came knocking on the door for help, sometimes bringing older friends along with them, and Ostewig said she was forced to turn them away.
Now, The Landing Place will introduce a new recovery program — The Bridge — targeting young adults 20 to 25, who aged out of the teen program. Details of meeting times have not yet been finalized.
The Landing Place is also working to forge partnerships with other local nonprofits that are dedicated to helping struggling adults and their families. Those groups will be able to utilize the space to host workshops, guest speakers and other events.
Tuesdays in April, for example, volunteers from Love In the Name of Christ (Love INC) will use The Landing Place to host free job skills workshops for adults in the community.
The Christian-based organization, in addition to serving as a clearinghouse for relief efforts, often hosts programs geared toward breaking the cycles that land people in poverty. People in substance abuse recovery program are often among the folks Love INC helps, and Jim Peters, executive director, said he’s eager to have the opportunity to reach out to more people through The Landing Place.
Through April 18, Love INC volunteers will take up space at The Landing Place from 6 to 7 p.m. Tuesdays to help adults learn to better find employment by practicing resume writing and interview skills.
Childcare will be arranged for those who need it. For more information on the workshops, contact Love INC at 317-468-6300.
Students have access to the same services 3 to 6 p.m. Mondays when The Landing Place hosts Even Grounds, a new program open to any high school student from across the county who needs tutoring and mentoring. Those who attend receive homework help paired with life-skills lessons on money management and resume building. For more information, call 317-525-7791.
The facility’s cornerstone program — its teen outreach, on Wednesday nights — will likely remain its most popular offering, Ostewig said. The Landing, with its open-mic night, dinner, small-group counseling sessions and guest speakers, will still take place from 6 to 8:45 p.m.
Teenagers are welcome to attend the year-long, group-based recovery program, a trademarked affiliate of Celebrate Recovery, a well-known adult, faith-based addiction recovery program.
The Landing began hosting meetings locally in October 2013 with just a dozen students attending. The group now welcomes more than 60 teens each week.
Lisa Allen, who started volunteering for The Landing when it first opened, now sits of the board of directors for The Landing Place. She said she never imagined how quickly the place would become synonymous with recovery efforts in Hancock County. She hopes it continues to thrive, and she is excited to see the good influence The Landing Place will have within the community.
“I think the need was larger than we realized,” Allen said.
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The Landing Place is seeking donations to help cover the costs of a new bus its leaders plan to use to transport teens and young adults to and from special programs.
The bus would be used to pick up students at the county’s four high schools and bring them to The Landing Place for programs.
Organizers say having a bus, which costs about $8,000, would alleviate transportation burdens on families looking to take advantage of the programs offered at the recovery and wellness center.
Donations can be sent to 18 South St., Greenfield, IN, 46140. Checks should be made payable to The Landing Place.
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The Landing Place, 18 South St., (formerly The Landing) is expanding its programs to serve adults, as well as teens, and is opening its doors to other county nonprofit organizations to use its facility to host workshops.
- Volunteers from Love In the Name of Christ (Love INC) will use The Landing Place to host free job skills workshops for all adults in the community. The workshops aim to help adults find employment by practicing resume writing and interview skills. The first round of workshops takes place 6-7 p.m. Tuesdays through April 18. Child care is available. For more information on the workshops, contact Love INC at 317-468-6300.
- Even Grounds, a new program open to any high school student from across the county, caters to those who need tutoring and mentoring. Participants receive homework help paired with life-skills lessons on money management and resume building. Even Grounds takes place Mondays from 3-6 p.m. For more information, call 317-525-7791.
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