By Lisa Kroencke, CEO
With March being Women’s History Month, I’ve been reflecting on the many women who have been a part of our Maggie’s history. Since our doors opened in June of 1987, we’ve worked toward a single purpose: helping women achieve and sustain recovery from alcoholism. A purpose that we’ve been able to carry out because of the countless women who have played a role in our history.
A Vital Need
In the 1980s a group of four recovered women realized a vital need: there was nowhere in North Texas for an alcoholic woman with no money and no insurance to go. As fate would have it, one of these women had just learned about The Way Out Women’s Center, a place in Houston that was providing a safe place for women to detox from alcohol at no cost. In March of 1987, this group drove to Houston to visit and realized they could better serve alcoholic women and their families by providing a similar experience in North Texas. Within two months The Magdalen House was born.
The original house on Lovers Lane opened in June 1987, thanks to the efforts of Mary B, Alicia C, Melva C, and Carolyn N – the four female alcoholics who saw the need for a women-only facility. One of our founders, Alicia, still volunteers today and was highlighted in our 2018 agency video, The Other Side.
32 Years and Counting
Now in its 32nd year, The Magdalen House continues to be the only facility in North Texas to offer no-cost (free) services to women who want to recover from alcoholism. What was once the dream of our founders has become the reality; a flourishing community of recovered women and their families. With a 41% increase in First Step Program admissions and 8,242 visits to our Community meetings and workshops in 2018, our volunteers, donors, and staff are dedicated to growing the impact that our founders began in 1987.
Over the years, the one thing that’s always stayed the same is this simple concept; women helping women recover. This is not only the foundation of our history, but it is the purpose of our future. So, the question is then, how do we continue to grow our community WHILE sticking close our roots and holding true to our mission?
Expansion and our Future
We will continue to refine existing programs and create new programming so our agency will progress as the catalyst for a growing community of recovered women. We will keep the message simple (just as our founders did): helping women achieve and sustain recovery from alcoholism. Our staff, volunteers and donors will work to continue to provide a safe, free space where a recovered alcoholic can make a difference in the life of another alcoholic still suffering. This is what we must do every day; this is the key to our future.
Our history is one of our most important legacies, and it will continue to be the foundation for our growth. Our future depends on the entire recovery community to come together for the next generation of women who seek our help; we can only accomplish this together, shoulder to shoulder. Join us as we continue writing the history of Maggie’s by providing services free of charge for the next alcoholic woman who seeks help: Volunteer your time, give of your goods through Wish List Donations or give of your financial resources through our Donate Page.
Together we can save lives, one woman at a time.
