Our Projects
Four lanes of impact driving lasting change in recovery housing
How We Drive Change
The Vanderburgh Foundation advances recovery housing through four focused initiatives — called Lanes. Each Lane targets a distinct and critical need in the recovery ecosystem, from supporting a resident through their earliest and most vulnerable days, to funding the opening of new homes, restoring aging facilities, and pioneering the technologies that will define the field for the next generation.
Our projects reflect a core conviction: recovery housing is community infrastructure. Every investment in these Lanes doesn’t just change one life — it strengthens the entire ecosystem of support that makes lasting recovery possible across the United States.
Lane 01
Stability Lane
Supporting Recovery’s Most Critical Window
The first thirty days in a sober living home are the most critical period in a person’s early recovery. Research consistently identifies the window immediately following discharge from treatment as the highest-risk period for relapse — a time when structure, peer accountability, and connection to community matter more than at any other point in the recovery journey.
The Stability Lane exists to remove the financial barrier that stands between a person and their first month of structured housing. By covering a resident’s first 30 days, we give them the space to settle in, form peer relationships, and begin building the daily habits and routines that sustain long-term sobriety.
A person who makes it through those first thirty days in a structured recovery home is dramatically more likely to achieve sustained recovery. The Stability Lane is our direct investment in that pivotal moment.
Fund Someone’s First 30 DaysThe initial weeks after leaving treatment represent the highest-risk window for relapse. Structured peer housing during this period is one of the most effective evidence-based interventions available.
Research Insight
“Recovery housing that provides structure and peer support during the immediate post-treatment period is associated with significantly improved 12-month abstinence outcomes.”
SAMHSA Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) Series No. 63, 2019; corroborated by Jason et al., American Journal of Community Psychology, 2006.
Lane 02
Growth Lane
Establishing New Recovery Homes Across America
Recovery housing is in critically short supply across the United States. The Vanderburgh Foundation’s Growth Lane addresses this shortage directly by providing grant funding, operational guidance, and network support to help new recovery home operators open their doors in communities where this housing is needed most.
Through the Vanderburgh Sober Living network, we work alongside aspiring and emerging operators to help them establish NARR-certified Level II sober living homes. From covering startup costs and navigating state certification processes to providing ongoing training and mentorship, our team walks with new operators every step of the way.
Each new home we help establish represents a community transformed — a neighborhood where someone in recovery can find the stability, peer support, and accountability they need to build a substance-free life. Our goal is to open at least 8 new recovery homes in 2026 alone.
Help Open 8 New Homes in 2026How We Support New Operators
- ✓Grant funding to cover startup and first-year operational costs
- ✓NARR Level II certification guidance and support
- ✓Operator training and mentorship through the VSL network
- ✓Connection to referral networks and community partners
- ✓Ongoing compliance and quality support post-launch
Homes We Have Helped Found
The following recovery homes were established with support from the Vanderburgh Foundation and the VSL network.
Taylor Made Recovery
Texas
A recovery home providing structured, peer-supported sober living to residents in the Lone Star State, expanding access to quality recovery housing in Texas.
Freedom Housing
Kentucky
Serving individuals in recovery in Kentucky, Freedom Housing brings dignity, accountability, and peer community to residents navigating early sobriety.
Neelex Sober Living
Worcester, Massachusetts
Located in Worcester — the city where Vanderburgh Sober Living was founded — Neelex represents the next generation of recovery housing in our home community.
Lane 03
Renewal Lane
Restoring the Spaces Where Recovery Happens
The quality of a recovery home’s physical environment has a direct and meaningful impact on the wellbeing and success of its residents. When the spaces where people heal are clean, safe, and maintained with care, they communicate something essential to every person who walks through the door: you matter, and your recovery matters.
The Renewal Lane provides funding for renovations, upgrades, and essential improvements to existing recovery homes across the Vanderburgh Sober Living network. From replacing worn mattresses, fixtures, and flooring to improving communal living spaces and addressing accessibility needs, these investments ensure that every home continues to serve its residents with dignity and excellence.
Beyond comfort, well-maintained homes signal to the broader community that recovery is a serious, respected endeavor — helping to reduce the stigma that recovery housing still faces in many neighborhoods. Renewed homes open renewed conversations.
A well-maintained recovery home is more than infrastructure. It is an expression of hope — and a signal that everyone inside deserves the best possible chance at a new life.
Donate to Renew a Recovery HomeWhat Renewal Funding Covers
- ✓New mattresses, bedding, and bedroom furnishings
- ✓Kitchen, bathroom, and common area upgrades
- ✓Flooring, paint, and structural repairs
- ✓Accessibility improvements and safety upgrades
- ✓Exterior improvements and curb appeal
“The environment shapes the experience. When a home feels cared for, residents feel cared for — and that feeling is foundational to healing.”
— Vanderburgh Foundation, Renewal Lane mission statement
Lane 04
Innovation Lane
Advancing Recovery Housing Through Technology
The future of recovery housing is being built right now — and the Vanderburgh Foundation is at the forefront of that work. The Innovation Lane invests in technology, tools, and systems designed to improve outcomes for residents and make it meaningfully easier for operators to run effective, compliant, and compassionate recovery homes.
We believe that leaning into modern technology is not just a competitive advantage — it is a moral imperative. When software can help a house manager identify a struggling resident earlier, or help an operator stay compliant with state requirements more efficiently, the lives saved and improved are real and measurable. Every hour an operator saves on paperwork is an hour they can spend with a resident who needs them.
From AI-powered tools and custom operator software to digital infrastructure and data-driven research, the Innovation Lane is how we future-proof the recovery housing field and ensure that it grows not just in size, but in effectiveness.
Support Innovation in Recovery HousingCurrent Focus Areas
AI-Powered Intake & Support
Intelligent tools for resident intake, progress tracking, and early intervention signals.
Custom Operator Software
Purpose-built platforms designed specifically for the sober living operator workflow.
Digital Network Infrastructure
Connected systems linking residents, operators, coaches, and referral partners.
Data & Field Research
Generating actionable insights from across the VSL network to improve industry-wide outcomes.
Join Us in Building the Future of Recovery
Every project we pursue — every resident we stabilize, every home we help open, every facility we renew, every tool we build — is made possible by the generosity of people who believe that recovery is worth investing in. Your support helps us move the needle for individuals, families, and entire communities across the country.