Find Your Way Home

Residential Program

Through its residential housing program, Find Your Way Home, created for women identified survivors of sex trafficking, addiction, and abuse, Magdalene House Chicago promises the flexibility, advocacy, and humanity to women who need to heal and want to become leaders and established members of a caring community. MHC defines healing as the loving path each woman takes to re-establish relationships with family and friends, secure meaningful employment, stable housing, and a renewed sense of self.

Program at-a-Glance

Find Your Way Home is flexible and highly customized to the needs of each individual woman who comes home to heal at MHC. It is supported by partnerships with local, community-based organizations in the near west suburbs of Chicago.

• 24-months of rent-free living

  • Weekly stipend for food and personal expenses

  • Access to full time case management services

  • Access to community-based services, including mental health, substance use recovery, dental health and legal services

  • Connections to trauma and addiction counseling

  • Gain independence with access to education and jobs training

  • Experience the healing power of love and acceptance

  • Build a lifelong network of support through community living

Program Details

This program is phase-based and the daily schedule for women varies depending on their recovery stage. Each phase sets out specific guidelines and expectations as well as opportunities for independence. Progression through the phases is determined by a resident’s length of time in the program, their stability in recovery, adherence to program guidelines, active participation in community life, and movement toward resident’s goals for health, personal growth, education and employment. Successful completion of each phase is required for a resident to progress to the next. However, the length of stay in each phase is at the discretion of the program team.

The Four Phases of the Program

The phases of MHC’s residential program are based on practical ways that we can love ourselves and each other, live in community and grow in recovery. They are part of a set of principles, Find Your Way Home, written and published by Magdalene House Chicago Residential residents. They reflect our belief that in living under a common rule of unconditional love, we will all heal and grow together.

Find Your Way Home has four phases that correspond to stages of individual change and growth within the sanctuary of community:

• Trust Building — first 0-3 months of residency

• Discovering Your Future — 4-12+ months of residency

• Leadership and Independent Exploration —12-18+ months residency

• Sister for Life — 18-24 months residency, graduation and beyond

An Inside Look

  • Trust Building — first 0-3 months at MHC

    ● Create an individual and community goal plan with assistance from staff

    ● Follow the individual and community goal plan established with input from staff

    ● Attend all orientation sessions and complete orientation packet action items.

    ● Attend 90 twelve-step meetings in 90 days and present meeting sheet, signed by the meeting leader, at the beginning of each Monday community meeting

    ● After 90 days get a sponsor

    ● Begin to address financial and legal needs/issues with Case Manager

    ● Begin education if applicable and job readiness inventory with preparation and entry into school or work by the third completed month of Magdalene House Chicago residency.

    ● Attend ALL Magdalene House Chicago Residential weekly program meetings/groups/classes

    ● Attend all Magdalene House Chicago Residential sponsored conferences and/or retreats

    ● Open a personal checking and/or savings account

    ● Adhere to a curfew of 10:00 p.m.

  • Discovering Your Future — 4-12+ months at MHC

    ● Complete Magdalene House Chicago Job readiness program

    ● Maintain employment - may attend school in addition if you choose

    ● Attend program groups but may skip 1 of choosing (must always attend circles)

    ● Access credit report and participate in a credit improvement class

    ● Develop and maintain a budget with Case Manager

    ● Participate in Survivor’s Guide to Money curriculum

    ● Participate in Magdalene House Chicago Residential Match Savings GIA Program

    ● Maintain a positive checking and savings account balance

    ● Attend the mandatory 5 (3 minimum in person) 12-Step meetings per week and recommended IOP after care, and present signed attendance sheets at the beginning of each Monday meeting

    ● Continue to work towards completion of all goals as identified in the individual and community goal plan.

    ● Maintain a curfew of 10:00 p.m. on weekdays and 11:00 p.m. on weekends.

  • Leadership and Independent Exploration — 12-18+ months at MHC

    ● Maintain employment of at least 16 hrs/week and/or attend school

    ● Attend half of weekly program meetings/groups/classes (Circle attendance required)

    ● Continue saving money as you invest in the GIA savings account

    ● Work with a financial advisor to maintain financial health.

    ● Maintain budget/positive savings/positive checking account

    ● Continue to follow thru with all recommended medical, dental, recovery and mental health treatment throughout the duration of your residency at Magdalene House Chicago

    ● Maintain curfew of 10 pm on weekdays

    ● Maintain curfew of Midnight on Friday and Saturdays

    ● Attend 3 (2 minimum in person) recovery (AA/NA) meetings a week, and present signed attendance sheet at the beginning of each Monday circle meeting

    ● Create and implement a plan for graduation and transition to independent living that includes safe housing, work, financial planning, a relapse prevention plan and a network of support

    ● Complete in Survivor’s Guide to Money curriculum

  • Sister for Life — 18-24 months and beyond

    Expectations of Candidates for Graduation:

    ● Required to save a minimum of $1,500 with GIA account

    ● Have employment with income

    ● Has secured safe, permanent housing

    ● Successfully complete her individual and community goal plans

    ● Maintain budget and financial plan

    ● Continue to participate in program activities by attending a minimum of 2 groups (circle) per week.

    ● After completion of program until graduation, continue to participate in program activities by attending a minimum of 1 circle meeting per week.

    ● Actively utilize a long-term relapse prevention plan

    ● Maintain sobriety for a minimum of a year prior to graduation

    ● Participate in quarterly one on one’s

    ● Complete an exit interview

    ● Participate in a graduation ceremony

Complete the form below to initiate your application process. A response should follow within 3-5 business days. 

Our waiting list is currently over 50 women, and we cannot give estimates on the timeframe to entrance. Our hearts are with you during this period and we eagerly await the expansion of our program. 

In order to remain active on the waiting list, weekly contact must be made with our staff.