A representative of each House in the Chapter meets with the others on a monthly basis, to exchange information, to seek resolution of problems in a particular House, and to express that Chapter’s vote on larger issues. See the Chapters Page for more information.The World Council is comprised of 12 members, 9 of which presently live in an Oxford House, 3 who are alumni. In carrying out its mission the Council always keeps a focus on expansion of the network of individual Oxford Houses, to provide all recovering alcoholics and drug addictions the opportunity to develop comfortable sobriety without relapse. One of the greatest threats to the sobriety of a recovering alcoholic or drug addict is loneliness. At a time when we acquired a serious desire to stop drinking or using drugs, many of us had lost our families and friends because of our alcoholism and/or drug addiction. Too often, newly recovering alcoholics and drug addicts are faced with the necessity of living alone and of relying solely on contacts with Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous to stay sober.

They are one way to solve the problem of keeping combined groups of houses small enough to permit each house to share its experiences, strengths and hopes with other houses. This manual describes how chapters work and are organized to strengthen the world network of Oxford Houses. Repayment from https://ecosoberhouse.com/ those start-up loans assures the continuation of the revolving fund to enable other new houses to get started — just as repayment of loans to chapters permits the same resources to be used again and again. The members of an Oxford House assume full responsibility for the operation of the House.

How to Start an Oxford House

(Since 1989, many new Oxford Houses have taken advantage of state revolving loan programs. Every Oxford House member attributes his sobriety to Alcoholics Anonymous and/or Narcotics Anonymous. Help us continue our valuable work of providing sober living to more people in our area. Within an Oxford House group, it is not unusual to find some members who have problems which cannot be dealt with by the group.

• As a general rule formal AA or NA meetings are not held in an Oxford House member who has maintained comfortable sobriety in an Oxford House makes it a practice to attend a lot of AA and/or NA meetings on a regular basis.
• While no one is ever asked to leave an Oxford House without cause, some individuals will simply outgrow living in an Oxford House.
• Many of us soon learned, however, that living alone or living among our old drinking companions made it more difficult to practice the principles necessary for continued sobriety.
• During FY 2019, residents paid rent, utility and other household expenses of $155,337,624.
• And thrive in such diverse communities, as Hawaii, Washington State, Canada and Australia; but they all abide by the basic criteria.
• Therefore, it is important that each Oxford House meet these minimum responsibilities in order for its charter to be continued.

By running Oxford House on a democratic basis, members of Oxford House become able to accept the authority of the group because the group is a peer group. Each member has an equal voice in the group and each has an opportunity to relearn responsibility and to accept decisions once they are made. By 1988, the number of individual Oxford Houses had become so great that it became difficult to have a meeting at which everyone would get a chance to speak. Some longed for the “old days” when there were fewer houses and the combined group of houses were smaller. Others recognized that the success of Oxford House made it clear that there would be more and more houses and there was no turning back the clock. The opportunity for a house to democratically function requires periodic meetings within the house — at least once a week.

Oxford House Videos

Those who have benefited from an Oxford House have acquired enthusiasm for the Oxford House concept. In their enthusiasm, they have been anxious to share Oxford House with any recovering alcoholics and drug addicts who want to establish an Oxford House in their community. The charter of each Oxford House requires that an Oxford House meet certain minimum requirements of Oxford House, Inc.

First of all, no Oxford House may permit individuals to remain as members if those individuals are drinking or using drugs. Third, an Oxford House must, in essence be a good member of the community by obeying the laws and paying its bills. Oxford House has as its primary goal the provision of housing and rehabilitative support for the alcoholic or drug addict who wants to stop drinking or using and stay stopped.

Resources for Oxford House Members

Oxford House, Inc., a non-profit corporation, belongs to the residents of Oxford Houses nationwide. Residents democratically make their voices heard through the individual houses, the Chapters, the World Council and the Oxford oxford house traditions House, Inc. The legacy of Oxford House is forever secure as long as the concept, Traditions and system of operations is assured by control of its members through participation in an effective democratic system of organization.

• Other members were asked to leave half-way houses in order to make room for a recovering alcoholic or recovering drug addict who was ready to move into a half-way house.
• Oxford House was founded not only to put a roof over our head, but also to create a home where the disease of alcoholism was understood and the need for the alcoholic to stay away from the first drink was emphasized.
• The opportunity for a house to democratically function requires periodic meetings within the house — at least once a week.
• It also acts as the coordinating body to help individual houses to organize mutually supportive chapters.
• If an Oxford House follows the democratic principles and traditions of Oxford House, Inc., it should have no difficulty in running smoothly.
• A representative of each House in the Chapter meets with the others on a monthly basis, to exchange information, to seek resolution of problems in a particular House, and to express that Chapter’s vote on larger issues.

As our recovery progressed, the supervision and dependency on a half-way house created dissatisfaction. The dissatisfaction was in part the realization that we were shirking responsibility for our own lives and in part a resentment of authority. The third factor affecting us both in the rehabilitation facilities and the half-way houses was the realization that the duration of our stay must be limited because space must be made for others in need of help. In its simplest form, an Oxford House describes a democratically run, self-supporting and drug free home. This publicly supported, non-profit 501(c)3 corporation is the umbrella organization which provides the network connecting all Oxford Houses and allocates resources to duplicate the Oxford House concept where needs arise.