Opening in July of 2017, Design for Recovery quickly rose to prominence in the Los Angeles Sober Community.
Beginning with a single location, Design for Recovery expanded quickly. The goal was to meet the needs of individuals in recovery in Los Angeles who sought the same support that graduates had received.
Founded on hope, the program grew to reach even more people on their path to recovery.
Derek moved to California from North Carolina after many failed attempts to get sober. Other treatment centers and sober living homes never seemed to provide what he needed. Dejected and almost ready to give up, Derek decided to try a structured sober living home.
The skills and tools he learned in the rigorous program at the structured sober living home not only helped him get sober. They also enabled him to excel as a mentor and a leader.
Derek quickly came to understand that his ambition was to help other seemingly hopeless young men discover the hope that he had fought so long and hard to attain. He recognized a need for more ethical sober living houses in Los Angeles area.
He envisioned a house built on principles of honesty, integrity, accountability and discipline—that translated well not only to recovery, but to life outside of sober living as well.
Derek modeled his new sober living home off of what worked so well for him. He found that his history in addiction put him in the ideal position to understand the issues of other young men who have struggled to get sober.
Derek’s own experience in a structured sober living home taught him that recovery is about far more than being physically abstinent from drugs and alcohol — it is about modifying the underlying behavior and addressing the root causes that often lead to relapse. To that end, Design for Recovery worked with residents to develop new modes of life. It rapidly became apparent that graduates of Design for Recovery were remaining sober long after leaving. This was because during their time at the sober living home, they built lives that they valued and didn’t want to lose.
Through one-on-one mentoring, weekly house meetings, employment support, money management, family outreach, and a solid foundation based on the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous, Design for Recovery paves the way for a successful life in long-term sobriety
Residents of Design for Recovery spend their time not only healing and repairing past damage, but building a new way forward in life. They find employment, often for the very first time, enroll in school, and develop connections with each other and within the broader Los Angeles recovery community.
"There is a wonderful world outside of addiction and a beautiful life any addict can have. We want to help them find that."
Staying true to its mission and the core values upon which it was founded, Design for Recovery continues to help and influence the sober community.
With four residences — all located near the beach in the West Los Angeles neighborhoods, provide a comfortable base to thrive in a safe and lively environment where opportunities for leisure activities, community support, and employment are abundant.
Design for Recovery envisions a future rooted in adherence to our roots, principles, and ambition for continual personal growth. Design for Recovery continues to extend branches of influence into the sober community at large.
A strong Design for Recovery presence exists today at local 12-step meetings, and many Design for Recovery members now work at outside detoxes, treatment facilities, or youth centers in the greater Los Angeles area.
Our residents and graduates have built solid and prosperous lives for themselves and become leaders and mentors in the recovery community, who are shaping the future for others.
