Lorena Gerlach, Chairperson of Nationwide’s Community Impact Committee and a Nationwide employee, solicited Valentine gifts and donations from her co-workers to provide the 7 women at CHAT House with a Pizza and Wings dinner on February 13.
“I just love to sit around and interact with the women of CHAT,” Gerlach said. And the residents enjoy her interest and attention! An air of friendship and appreciation was quickly founded and casual conversations about pets, TV shows and nail fashion quickly added to the informal chatter.
The CHAT program at Alvis stands for Changing Habits, Attitudes, and Thoughts. It is a program designed to provide safe, supportive, and sober housing for women who have experienced trauma, addiction, or involvement in the criminal justice system.
CHAT offers a structured environment where participants can focus on recovery, personal growth, and rebuilding their lives. It works closely with Franklin County's CATCH Court, which serves survivors of human trafficking by offering them an alternative to traditional sentencing. Instead of incarceration, participants receive treatment, counseling, and support to help them heal and reintegrate into the community.
At the CHAT House, communication is key. Staff is transparent and on-call for clients 24 hours in case the women have a problem or need to discuss something important. Most of the women at CHAT House attend recovery classes at Amethyst, an Alvis Recovery Program.
All of us at Alvis thank Lorena Gerlach, her co-workers and Nationwide for their continued support and interest in women at Alvis who are trying to make a better life for themselves and their children.