There is support and concern in Gorham, as residents get ready for a new halfway house coming to town.
The Courage House is located on School Street, right by the University of Southern Maine.
Sixteen men will have the chance to stay inside this home and take part in its recovery program.
Al Garcia will be the director of Gorham’s Courage House.
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It will welcome former inmates adjusting to life after prison.
“Well, a lot of them fail, unfortunately, when they come out,” Garcia said. “There’s not a lot of support. A lot of times they’ve burnt their bridges personally in their lives.”
These men are also often recovering from substance abuse.
The home, which is a former fraternity house, will have a manager to make sure they are sober and contributing to Gorham by working or volunteering.
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“All the men that are coming will have some type of drug history, some chemical dependency issues,” Garcia said. “We want to help them reintegrate into society.”
Wednesday night, organizers hosted a question-and-answer session with residents.
Many supported the idea, while others expressed skepticism.
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Organizers hope this will be a welcoming space for former inmates needing a fresh start.
“I hear everybody’s concerns, and if I did not think this program would work in this house I would not be leading this program,” Garcia said.
The Courage House program is slated to begin in June.
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