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 get help. As fate would have it, one of these women had just learned aboutThe 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 realizedthey 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.
35 Years and Counting
Now celebrating our 35th 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. We are grateful for the flourishing community of recovered women and their families who are dedicated to life-saving recovery. Each woman in our community supports each other, shares their stories, and celebrates one another. This shows that our future can only hold more support for women who need it across North Texas, and beyond with our virtual services.
The past few years have especially shaped the direction of Maggie’s. The women in our community are now able to recover in a place of dignity, our programs have grown to bring women more accountability through Next Step, supporters have helped us break records, and our podcast Recover Out Loud brings resources to women anywhere in the world. We are so grateful to celebrate these triumphs with such a loving and generous community!
Our Future
As we look towards our future, we will continue to keep the message simple (just as our founders did): helping women achieve and sustain recovery from alcoholism. Our staff, volunteers and supporters create a safe, free space where a recovered alcoholic experience the transformation and clarity that recovery from alcoholism can bring.
We continue to grow, whether it’s new virtual offerings, or a new take on mindfulness and yoga for women in our First Step program and community. Maggie’s is constantly evolving to bring the messages of recovery and hope to more women so that they can learn the simple steps towards a life of freedom from this disease.
Our history and mission are some of our most important legacies, and they will continue to be a 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. This can only be accomplished together, by shattering the stigmas that create barriers for the help that women need. Get involved in creating the next chapter of our history! Volunteer your time, help others learn more about alcoholism by requesting a speaker, or become a monthly supporter.
Together we can help more women learn about the life saving transformation they can experience through recovery.
