WBZ Cares: Megan's House Residents Heal With Help From The Community

BOSTON (CBS) - Each month, WBZ Cares highlights a worthy non-profit organization and tells the story of what that organization does for the community.

This month, WBZ Cares is profiling Megan's House in Lowell, a residential treatment home for young women, providing substance abuse treatment emphasizing individual dignity, self-respect, and empowerment.

Since Megan's House opened its doors nearly two years ago it has helped women from age 18-26 who are facing the challenges of substance abuse.

"When they first come in they are here for eight weeks and they get a really strong foundation in their recovery in feeling better about themselves," said Megan's House Program Director Mary-Beth Murphy.

Murphy, who says residents usually stay six-months to a year, and she says the need is growing.

"I hate to say there is such a need, especially for women -- young women. I think that there is a huge need for this level of care, which is the most intensive level of care," she said.

As part of their therapy, the women living at Megan's House also get out into the community, thanks to the generosity of local people.

"The community support has really been incredible," said Teddy Panos Director of Development and Communications.

Panos describes how those living at home are going on field trips.

"We are going from New Hampshire to Manchester to the New Hampshire Fisher Cats game. We were at a Star Wars Night at the Lowell Spinner the other night. A local bank president gave us his luxury box at a UMASS Lowell hockey game,"  Panos said.

Panos says that by getting out of the house and experiencing things, is also part of the healing process.

"It's all like kind of targeted towards the therapy part of it, the holistic approach. A bunch of young women who may not have seen a hockey puck before, and yet they are getting the food in the luxury suite, the music and the scoreboard camera and the game itself. And they are getting caught up. And at one point, one of the young women leaned over another one and said: 'you can have fun sober.'"

For more information visit TheMegansHouse.org or WBZ Cares.