What's behind the decade of success at Lakewood's Samaritan House?

LAKEWOOD – A decade ago, the basement of All Saints Episcopal Church was an empty collection of dark rooms used for storage and occasional Sunday school classes.

Church leaders saw something more and turned it into a co-ed homeless shelter to help the township’s growing problem with street people.

But after a few weeks, the shelter approach didn’t seem to work.

So parish elders took another approach, turning it into a transitional space for men focused on giving them a chance to re-enter society after difficult times.

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“A shelter is only a place to go sleep, eat and take a shower and that’s it,” said Alex Gotay, one of the original counselors at the time who suggested the alternate approach. “I wanted a place for people to be able to do something for themselves.”

Ten years later, Samaritan House is a thriving success, having served more than 440 men ranging from former drug addicts and alcoholics to those battling a host of emotional and financial issues.

Based on the premise of strict rules and tough love, the non-profit facility offers space for eight residents at a time who are given a place to live, learn and recover from difficulties, but with clear polices on attendance, behavior and dedication.

“It gives them a clean home, the chance at living a sober life, and build a foundation before they go outside,” said Gotay, 62, who has served as director since 2014.

The program boasts a 72.4% success rate, Gotay claims, compared to some similar programs that fall between 33% and 35%

“We base success on getting clean, staying clean, getting a job, saving money and then going back to society,” he said.

The space, which is provided at no charge by the church, is a basic winding hallway of four bedrooms, with two residents each, a meeting space with a table, a living area with a television and couch, a kitchen and bathroom with a shower. Gotay’s desk takes up one corner near the front door.

Each resident must show a need for the transitional location help through personal interviews with Gotay, a 41-year social worker and trained substance abuse counselor. They also need to prove they have gotten some kind of help with their issues, be it drug rehabilitation, alcoholics anonymous or financial stability.

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“Samaritan House is a stepping-stone to reacclimate you to society. I had fallen so far away I had to get back to basics,” said Mark Jelly, a former addict who spent six months at the center in 2018 after a battle with Oxycontin. “I lived at the house, then I went to work and had to find myself. My life had turned to drugs and I got away from it. My marriage had suffered from it.”

Jelly credits Gotay and company with helping him come back to stability. “It is a zero tolerance, you cannot allow it,” he said. “We have always made mistakes and you have to take advantage of that chance.”

Pete Galindez echoed that view. Self-described as a functioning alcoholic, he spent a year at Samaritan House before leaving in July 2023.

“I kept drinking like a fish,” said Galindez, who runs trade shows. “It got to a point where I was drinking after work until 12 midnight or 1 a.m. and in the morning I would go back to work,”

He said he became suicidal and went to a detox program in Toms River two years ago. Afterward, he heard about Samaritan House and signed up.

“I credit them with the discipline for reaffirming responsibility for myself,” Galindez said.

The house offers some food and basic needs for residents, but most must provide their own and show daily that they are either working or involved in a program toward stability, Gotay said. A strict 10 p.m. curfew is in place, as well as a mandatory evening 6 p.m. meeting with dinner.

Gotay also holds weekly one-on-one sessions where the men must show they are improving and working toward leaving. Each has to fill out forms about their short- and long-term goals, meeting attendance and chores each day. The average stay is 90 days.

“If I don’t see progress, they get a warning and then they can be discharged,” Gotay said. “I need an accounting of their money and receipts when they spend it, to see what they are spending it on.”

Samaritan House is funded through the All Saints Community Center, a registered 501?3 non-profit charity. It has an annual budget of about $60,000, with Gotay’s salary at $37,000, according to financial records.

“We get about two-thirds from grants and the rest is donations,” said Dorothy Massey, an All Saints board member who oversees fundraising. “It is still a year-to-year struggle. You always have to apply and until you have that check in your hand, you are not sure you will get it.”

The current crop of residents say they found out about the program from a variety of locations, such as local churches, addiction programs and word of mouth. Each believes the future can be positive given Samaritan House’s track record.

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“I’ve been in a lot of programs, but they never worked for me,” said Modesto Sanchez, 48, a veteran truck driver who’s been fighting heroin addiction for years. “But this is different because there is opportunity. They trust us and help us and push us to make a plan.”

Sanchez, who joined the house a week ago, said his first step was graduating from New Jersey’s Re-Entry Training Corporation program for former inmates.

“There are a lot of companies that want me now and I am content to do the work,” he said. “This is a very powerful place, but it is also peaceful, we are here every night and I know I can do it.”

Another recent member is Carlos Padilla, 47, who joined two weeks ago after beating a fentanyl and heroin addiction caused by pain killers for a cancer diagnosis.

“I tried suicide several times and I was homeless,” Padilla said. “This has become a second chance and they help me a lot. It’s all that I have and it has touched me.”

While Gotay is the only paid employee, one of the residents is always appointed as a house manager, someone who has shown their ability and acclimated to the house rule and policies and acts as an overseer when Gotay is away.

“You have to earn your stripes,” he said about that role. “He is not on salary, but he lives there and he is my eyes and ears there.”

As for the future Gotay hopes to keep things going, raise awareness, along with money, to expand.

“I’d like to see a house for females,” he said. “People are asking for a facility for women, but it takes money.”

Donations may be made by calling 732-367-0933 or emailing [email protected].

Joe Strupp is an award-winning journalist with 30 years’ experience who covers education and several local communities for APP.com and the Asbury Park Press. He is also the author of four books, including Killing Journalism on the state of the news media, and an adjunct media professor at Rutgers University and Fairleigh Dickinson University. Reach him at [email protected] and at 732-413-3840. Follow him on X at @joestrupp

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Lakewood NJ nonprofit aids men in addiction recovery