A shelter seeking to rebuild the lives of people staying there recently completed its own rebuilding process.
Women returning from incarceration, residential treatment, or who are in recovery can reenter the doors of Tlingit and Haida’s Haven House Women’s Shelter. The transitional housing facility was recently rebuilt after a flood damaged the foundation in 2020. Tlingit and Haida’s Reentry and Recovery Department held an open house Tuesday.
Christina Lee is the operations manager of that department and she said the house is different after rebuilding while incorporating program values.
“The space is more conducive to the environment that we are striving to have, that we have at our other two properties,” Lee said. “Being rebuilt, having a say in kind of how things should be and laid out for a multitude of reasons, ADA compliance, being able to have a group room, all of those things where women can congregate and fellowship together, as they do at our other properties.”
She said the goal of the open house was to have the community and different organizations feel comfortable with Haven House’s missions — and encourage referrals.
Staff from Tlingit and Haida enjoy refreshments in Haven House’s dining room on Tuesday during an open house. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)
Tlingit and Haida’s Reentry and Recovery Department operates three non-congregate shelters. Haven House (T’àa Shuyee Hit), Allen Court (Shaanáx̱ Tlein), and Alaway Avenue (Eix’gul’héen Hit). Allen Court and Alaway Avenue are shelters for men reentering society. Each of the three facilities provides sheltering, peer-supported programming, employment and training services and case management. People can stay up to two years in the program and staff said they have seen success at the other two locations.
David Evenson, the peer support specialist for Allen Court and Alaway Avenue, said he didn’t have these resources when he was becoming sober several years ago. Now he helps guide people to recovery.
“Getting on your feet just by yourself is just incredibly difficult especially if you don’t have that support network,” he said. “What our department does is offer that support, not only through moral support and encouragement, but we also offer that support through real-life necessities: housing, transportation, food. We bring them out to the food bank. Doing something as simple as getting your basic needs met is incredibly daunting. I’m there.”
Southeast Traditional Tribal Values hang up in Haven House’s meeting room. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)
Tribal values are hung up in the upstairs meeting room, where books on trauma and motherhood are also available. Groups meet four times a month to work on life skills and recovery. Therapists that work with Tlingit and Haida’s Community and Behavioral Services visit, and hold groups on grief, sobriety and coping skills.
Evenson said one of the goals for Haven House is for the shelter to offer culturally based activities like the program already does monthly at other shelters. He said the men have a cold-water dip planned for Saturday. The program is also open to non-Native individuals who are encouraged to get in touch with their own culture, Evenson said.
Haven House is currently hiring a peer support specialist and case manager. Tammy Jablonski, the participant services and case manager, is serving as peer support until the position is filled. She said the cultural activities are in progress for Haven House.
“I have an elder that is interested in doing Chilkat weaving,” Jablonski said. “Somebody else that is interested in coming over and teaching the ladies how to bead, do earrings, things like that.”
She said other options could include elders coming to tell stories, visiting the Alaska State Museum, dancing and drumming.
Books on addiction and recovery are seen in Haven House’s meeting room. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)
Women at Haven House attend monthly groups, agree to drug screenings, complete daily chores and prepare house meals. They are also expected to follow a curfew of 10 p.m. each day and work with a case manager to follow an Individual Service Plan. A participant manager is onsite at Haven House, making sure curfew is followed, drug screens are done, and providing support.
Women contribute $600 a month and a non-refundable cleaning fee of $375. Haven House offers space for nine women, who all have their own bedrooms. Currently, Haven House has one resident. Family is permitted to visit.
A bedroom awaiting a future resident is seen upstairs at Haven House on Tuesday. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)
“Before when it was open we only had five rooms, so now, being able to accommodate up to nine women is huge, and then, just it being safely structured,” Lee said. “The other house was a bit old and that’s why it ended up flooding, the foundation cracked. So making it more of a safe, modern home, so people can accommodate their kiddos if they come and visit or family and just be able to feel comfortable.”
Bettyann Boyd, a behavioral health aide who is not a part of the Reentry and Recovery Program, was visiting the open house Tuesday. She peered into the new handicap accessible bathroom and bedroom, and said, “This is healing for everybody.”
Applications for Haven House and eligibility requirements are available online. Interviews are also done to go over expectations.
People can also visit in-person at 6205 Alloway Ave. to fill out paperwork and ask questions.
• Contact Jasz Garrett at jasz.garrett@juneauempire.com or (907) 723-9356.
“You never fail until you stop trying” and other words of encouragement and support decorate the walls of Haven House. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)
