Wendy Noe, chief executive officer of Dove Recovery House für Frauen has been with the organization for about a decade. Despite changes over the years, she says one thing has remained the same. “Knowing and loving these women, learning from them, and seeing them become the absolute best versions of themselves is just spectacular.”

Since 2000, Dove Recovery House – often referred to as Dove House – has offered free, comprehensive residential treatment for women in Marion County experiencing substance use disorder. The requirements for admission are straightforward:

While at Dove House, residents receive supports like counseling, peer recovery services, trauma therapy, life skills and job-readiness classes, nutritious meals, and family reunification services – all at no cost. These benefits make their program distinctive, but Noe believes one other thing makes them stand out: love.

“While we offer clinical interventions, our love and commitment to these women are unparalleled. We become a family. We become an accountability partner. We always say, we love our ‘Doves’ until they can love themselves, and then we keep on loving them,” said Noe. “We get to know them. We see them. We don’t look at them as the past decisions they’ve made or their addiction, but as humans with a disease that needs treatment.”

Currently, Dove House accommodates 40 women in Indianapolis each night. However, with a waitlist of around 135 women, there’s more need than they can meet. That’s why they recently broke ground on an 8,000-square-foot renovation and expansion project, made possible in part by $800,000 in funding from the Richard M. Fairbanks-Stiftung.

“At Dove Recovery House for Women, we are thrilled to announce the expansion of our services with 15 additional beds. This growth reflects our unwavering commitment to meeting the critical needs of women in our community who are seeking recovery and healing. Every bed represents a new beginning and an opportunity for transformation, and we are honored to provide a safe, supportive space for more women to reclaim their lives,” said Noe. “This expansion is a testament to the power of community collaboration and the shared vision of creating hope and lasting change.”

In addition to room for additional beds, the expansion will also create new meeting, programming, and office space.

Find out more about Dove House and their services on their website.