Although Tastes of Life went out of business due to the minimum wage increase last year, the Life Challenge ministry has repurposed the building as a new women’s shelter.
Life Challenge, an addiction rehabilitation center in Hillsdale, provides a spiritual, social, and professional foundation for program residents to reenter into society. Unlike state programs, Life Challenge is a Christian organization. The shelter opened in late February and has the capacity for eleven women and their children.
Pastor Jason Mekelburg of College Baptist Church supports Life Challenge by speaking at its chapel service and inviting recovering addicts in the program to share their testimony at College Baptist.
“It gives us a faith based option for addictions recovery. There are other state programs, but one that is Scripture based, as a pastor, I am happy to be able to recommend.”
Janine Livernois, the women’s director for Life Challenge, addressed the unique perspective this organization takes on drug rehabilitation.
“We understand that these are individuals, and we understand that we can’t force religious beliefs on anybody, but we present the opportunity for them to change and we believe in the power of God,” she said.
Life Challenge allows these individuals time to grow in faith and fully recover. Whereas state programs are 30 to 90 days long, Life Challenge has a different approach.
“It’s an individual growth, not even being able to put a timeline on it,” Livernois said.
The rehabilitation lasts 12 months and in some cases residents are invited and even encouraged to stay longer if necessary.
In one case, Dan, a graduate of the program, was invited to stay until he finishes his GED.
“He’s paying rent for a room and we’re helping him so he can get his GED when he’s completely done with us,” said Men’s Director Tim Ritchey.
Life Challenge does not throw its graduates back into society empty handed. The workers are dedicated to equipping these men with valuable skills to get them back into the workforce.
Many of the men coming into Life Challenge have many skills. They have knowledge in valuable trades and Life Challenge gives them the opportunity to use that knowledge.
“We’ve got people who are sales reps, construction, mechanical, maintenance,” Ritchey said.
The trials these residents have gone through are unbearable.
“I know I’d still be using, I don’t know if I’d be dead or not because I was to a point in my life where I had lost a lot of trust, a lot of friends, a lot of relationships and I didn’t know how I was going to gain that back,” David said. “I figured I’d failed everyone and failed myself. I tried ending my life, and it didn’t work, and it was at that moment I knew in my heart that God had something else for me.”
Livernois lost her husband 16 years ago. After that traumatic event she came to know Christ and for the next 15 years she opened up her home to women who needed help in the community.
Ritchey was a firefighter in Perrysburg, Ohio for 15 years before his family left him and his career slipped away because of drugs and alcohol. He came to Life Challenge in 2013 and one year to the day later he became the men’s director. His life is evidence of the effectiveness and determination of this organization.
“It’s been a blessing,” David said. “God brought me here for a reason.”
