Impact

OUTCOMES

According to a 2017 study by the Walter Rand Institute for Public Affairs, Rutgers University-Camden, over 70% of the individuals who come through the Hansen Foundation’s Serenity House are and remain clean after one year. This compares to a 2014 study by in the Journal of the American Medical Association that shows that 40%-60% of people who are treated for substance abuse end up relapsing.

READ THE FULL STUDY HERE

GIVING DOLLARS

The Hansen Foundation along with its sister organizations Enlightened Solutions Detox and Enlightened Solutions (Substance Use Treatment Center) has provided $4,909,978 in donated services and scholarships for detox, treatment and recovery housing in 2019 and 2020:

Enlightened Solutions Detox: $151,000 for $627,405 of services to 151 individuals
Enlightened Solutions Partial Care Substance Use Treatment: $1,128,250 for $2,389,103 of services to 90 individuals
Enlightened Solutions Intensive and Standard Outpatient Programs: $219,757 for $1,692,470 of services to 37 individuals
The Hansen Foundation Recovery Residence: $407,258.21 of direct scholarships to 400 individuals
The Matthew Bee Memorial Fund has partnered with us and to date raised more than $300,000 providing life changing treatment, sober living and resources services for upwards of 175 people suffering from the disease of Substance Use Disorder (SUD). To learn more about The Matthew Bee Memorial Fund (MJBMF) CLICK HERE

Many of these individuals do not have access to any monetary resources…. no savings, few personal belongings and no appropriate clothing for employment. Most of these individuals do not have access to transportation or the financial means to secure it.

Stories of Lives Changed

Jack

Jack is a proud Hansen Foundation housing alumni. He learned valuable job skills that carried him to a successful trade position that he has today.

Watch Jack's Story

Nina

Through the help of The Hansen Foundation, Nina was able to get her kids back. Today, she sees them regularly and is working on gaining custody. (MJBMF Scholarship Recipient)

Watch Nina's Story

Sam

Sam’s life changed the day she reached out to Jennifer Hansen for help. Through the help of The Hansen Foundation, Sam now has a young family and a successful career helping others.

Watch Sam's Story

Carlos

Carlos couldn’t keep a job due to his addiction to alcohol. The Hansen Foundation helped him learn valuable skills for success through our Solid Roots Employment Program at Enlightened Farm.

Watch Carlos' Story

Shirley

Shirley didn’t know anything about sober living before she lost her job in NYC. The Hansen Foundation helped show her just how important the recovery community can be.

Watch Shirley's Story

J.T.

J. T. received a scholarship for treatment and sober living from The Matthew Bee Memorial Fund. Today, J.T. is thriving with a successful career, a wife and a young son. (MJBMF Scholarship Recipient)

Watch JT's Story

Support #RealChange Today!! Help us by signing our petition! Click the image below

Dear Residents and Alumni of Serenity House,

Did your House Manager ever offer you emotional support? Were you ever provided transportation to an important court date or taken to the DMV to get your license? Did any residents you met become true friends? Did other sober living styles not work for you in the past? Has Serenity House helped you in any way?

I am asking that if you said yes to any of these questions, you listen up: SERENITY HOUSE IS IN JEOPARDY and I NEED YOUR HELP.

The Hansen Foundation is in MAJOR Jeopardy of losing everything. This would mean, no more Serenity Houses, Serenity Estates, The Hope Farm, and the Enlightened Cafe. It all began with our sober living house in Somers Point receiving a complaint from a neighbor. This created a 5-year legal battle with the State of New Jersey and just now egregious and ludicrous $594,000 in fines plus legal fees.

After our first NIMBY Somers Point complaint, an inspector came to interview and review the house. They demanded we become “Oxford Like” meaning we would have to remove our supervision including all Recovery Support Specialists and divest ownership interest in the house. What the complainant and inspector didn’t realize is the operational expertise component: what makes Serenity House so successful is the accountability residents have to Recovery Support Specialists, accountability to clean urines, curfews, chores, and the therapeutic value of one resident helping another. The inspector asked me to lie and say that we were running an “Oxford like” residence. Refusing to lie, I have been tirelessly asking for the state to grant reasonable accommodation to the Hansen Foundation in accordance with The Federal Fair Housing Act and American Disabilities Act.

I want to be clear, this is not a money-making endeavor. We try to keep the rent reasonable and we have 3 fundraisers per year to raise the rest of the funds necessary to operate and award some scholarships. We do not get any outside or government funding. I do not personally draw a salary from the Hansen Foundation. This is truly a labor of love. I have used my own money to pay the legal fees to fight for the rights of recovering addicts and the state is using your money, yes, taxpayer’s money, to take away the best sober living houses in the state.

I am asking that you help me to help you and others seeking effective long-term recovery residences by doing the following:

1. Call New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy (609-292-6000 – Email: [email protected]) and say “We write today with extreme conviction regarding the absurd penalties from Department of Community Affairs on the Hansen Foundation/Serenity House, LLC in the sum of more than $594,000. We adamantly request DCA to either suspend the fines until the Hansen Foundations pending action in the United States District Court in Camden is settled or meet with the Foundation in an attempt to work out an agreement. These fines will bankrupt the Hansen Foundation. If this happens, I will lose my home. This is the best I have ever done in my recovery process and I am asking you to “have my back” and the back of the Hansen Foundation. They are truly addressing the needs of recovering addicts during the worst heroin crisis this state has ever seen. Please don’t allow them to shut down my home.” Feel free to use your own words and personal details.

Also send to Lt. Governor Sheila Oliver – Email: [email protected]

2. Sign our petition on org titled: “DCA to Grant Hansen Foundation a Reasonable Accommodation” and share it with everyone to get the word out.

3. Follow The Hansen Foundation Facebook for more updates to come.

4. Support the Assembly Bill 3607 to allow for Recovery Residences to be exempted by DCA when certified by NARR (National Alliance of Recovery Residences) affiliate.

I really need all the help I can get.

Sincerest thanks,

Jennifer Hansen

Dear Friends of Hansen Foundation, Inc./Serenity House, LLC,

We need your help! The Hansen Foundation is in MAJOR Jeopardy of losing everything that we’ve worked for since our formation in 2001. This would mean, no more Serenity Houses, Serenity Estates, Hope Farm, and the Enlightened Cafe. It all began with our sober living house in Somers Point receiving a complaint from a NIMBY neighbor. This created a 5-year legal battle with the State of New Jersey, and just now, an egregious and ludicrous fine of $594,000 from the DCA, State of New Jersey.

How did we get to this point? It’s really quite simple: the Federal Fair Housing Act allows group homes to exist without discrimination in any residential zone. Addictions are disabilities and people who suffer from drug or alcohol addictions qualify as having a disability—one of the seven groups cited as worthy of non-discrimination. New Jersey does not align nor comply with the Federal Fair Housing Act and has hence determined that we are “Boarding Houses” and must attain zoning approvals among other requirements. That not only makes the mission impossible with NIMBY mentality, but prohibitively costly. The State inspector demanded we become “Oxford Like” meaning we would have to remove our supervision including all house managers and divest ownership interest in the house. What the complainant and inspector didn’t realize is the operational expertise component: what makes Serenity House so successful is the accountability residents have to Recovery Support Specialists, accountability to clean urines, curfews, chores, and the therapeutic value of one resident helping another. The inspector asked me to lie and say that we were running an “Oxford like” residence. Refusing to lie, I have been tirelessly asking for the state to grant reasonable accommodation to the Hansen Foundation in accordance with The Federal Fair Housing Act and American Disabilities Act.

What will happen if a stay of fines is not granted while litigation continues? Let’s look at the numbers:

– 120 present residents in recovery will potentially be put on the street endangering their recovery and their lives.

– 1,000+ family members and friends will have no peace-of-mind knowing their loved one is safe and learning to live a productive life.

– 46 Recovery Advocates will be without a job

– 13 horses, 1 pig, 25 chickens, 2 beehives will cease to be a benefit to our residents

– 5 weekly twelve-step meetings/support groups will have no place to meet

– The Opioid Crisis will have an irreparable setback in our community during this horrific epidemic

I want to be clear, this is not a money-making endeavor. All of the residents pay a reasonable rent and we have 3 fundraisers per year to raise the rest of the funds necessary to operate and award some scholarships. We do not get any outside or government funding. I do not personally draw a salary from the Hansen Foundation. This is truly a labor of love. I have used my own money to pay the legal fees to fight for the rights of recovering addicts and the State is using your money, yes, taxpayer’s money, to take away the best sober living houses in the state. You would think they would be knocking on our doors seeking “Best Practices” instead.

I am asking that you help me to help our community.

1. Call New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy (609-292-6000 – Email: [email protected]) and say “We write today with extreme conviction regarding the absurd penalties from Department of Community Affairs on the Hansen Foundation/Serenity House, LLC in the sum of more than $594,000. We adamantly request DCA to either suspend the fines until the Hansen Foundations pending action in the United States District Court in Camden is settled or meet with the Foundation in an attempt to work out an agreement. These fines will bankrupt the Hansen Foundation. This is the best my ___________ has ever done in their recovery process and I am asking you to “have our back” and the back of the Hansen Foundation. They are truly addressing the needs of recovering addicts during the worst heroin crisis this state has ever seen. Please don’t allow them to shut down.” Feel free to use your own words and personal details. If you talk to someone, tell them we want the same accommodation they give to Oxford House.