NEW SALEM PROGRAM  

New Salem is a minimum fifteen (15) month residential recovery program located in renovated church facilities. A resident's first 60 days is a probationary period. 

Residents of New Salem spend 78 hours each week in structured activities: 

• 40 hours per week in job training

• 8 hours per week in education classes and study

• 8 hours per week in support group sessions

• 8 hours per week focusing on structured spiritual development

• 8 hours per week of chores and community operational responsibilities

• 6 hours each weekend enjoying recreational and cultural activities

We charge residents no fees or insurance payments. Residents help meet costs by working 40 hours per week in our businesses (such as janitorial, painting, office work). Donations from churches, businesses, and individuals provide the balance. 

Prodigals Community is a Christian community emphasizing spiritual growth, strict accountability, and opportunities for drug-free responsible living in a setting of the unconditional love of Christ. Many local churches of various denominations support us, and we provide worship and Bible study on a voluntary basis. 

To download a detailed program overview, click here.

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Click here to read current news about our alumni.

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COMMENTS BY RESIDENTS

Erin, who completed the New Salem program in 2006, shares her experience: 

"I am grateful to Prodigals for helping me to find myself, to discover who I am and what I am capable of again. Because of my addiction, I was so lost, so guilty, so shameful. I felt really bad about who I was and what I didn’t represent. Why did I sabotage myself at every turn? I wanted to do right, but failed miserably over and over again.

Prodigals has taught me how to accept myself and my disease, to stop fighting it. I was able to step away from my life...and to start taking action to contribute towards my recovery. It taught me how to be honest with myself. It has helped me to open up to others who were able to help me, and that I was worthy of help. To walk side by side with friends that may not think like I do, but share the same serious concerns about their lives. Prodigals is not about not drinking or using drugs, it’s about changing from the inside out."

Richard, a graduate of New Salem, shares from his experience: 

"Love abounds in this place, a simple, but complete love. A love for one's brother or sister, a love for a suffering human being. Unconditional love, no strings, no attachments. A love born out of a common bond. A love that is given freely, just to see another suffering soul recover, go on and return that love to yet another suffering soul. What must I do to deserve such a place? Want. Want to change, want to rise up from the pits of hell where we have dwelt for so long. A burning desire to change the self-destructing way of life that has become our personal hell." 
 

One of our current residents shares: 

“My life was a war zone and addiction had won the battle. I was dying slowly. I realized that if I did not seek help I was never going to get out of the darkness that had surrounded me for a big part of my life. A moment of clarity came from God that let me know I was going to overcome and win my life back…I filled out the application to New Salem and put it in God’s hands. I read the rules and structure of the program and decided this is what I needed to live and to say alive…I wanted to start breathing life again. I came to New Salem to begin a life-long journey of recovery and to live life to the fullest advantage.”

Read a visitor's impression of Prodigals Community.

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MONDAY NIGHT WORSHIP

Prodigals Community is blessed in having people from many parts of our community share in the Monday night worship service with our residents. The service provides a joyful time for giving thanks and a caring place for sharing pain. Visitors who attend one of our services say they receive much more than they can ever give and that they "have been blessed" by their attendance. We invite you to join us for worship at Prodigals Community, 1024 Waughtown Street, any Monday night from 7:00 to 8:15 p.m. 

The goal of the Monday evening program is to contribute to the residents' healing process by uniting with Christian volunteers through shared worship and a home-cooked meal before worship. The sense of "extended family" eating and worshiping together is incredibly powerful for both residents and volunteers. On most Monday nights an area church will bring a fellowship meal to enjoy with the residents and stay afterwards for worship. Occasionally a visiting choir or music group will participate in the service. Our own Prodigals Community Gospel Choir sings every week. 

If you have additional questions or would like more information, please contact Katharine Martin at 336-785-0770. 

For a schedule of Monday night worship, click here.

How does my group schedule an opportunity to bring a meal?
Contact Katharine Martin.  He will find a time for your group to bring a meal or to share a time with another group. 

How many people should we be prepared to serve?
Plan on 35 people, plus your group. 

Can we cook on site or cook at home and bring the food?
You may prepare the meal either way, but please allow enough time to be able to serve promptly at 6:15. This is necessary to allow the residents to stay on schedule for other activities. 

Can we drop off or cook food and not stay for worship?

On nights other than Mondays this can be arranged. On Monday nights we focus on bridge-building between our residents and volunteers. It is disappointing to residents when Monday dinner volunteers do not stay for dinner or worship. Please schedule your meal for another night if you cannot stay for dinner or worship.

 

Do we eat with the Prodigals residents?

Dinner is served cafeteria style by the group bringing the meal. After the meal has been served, the volunteers join the residents for dinner. Prodigals residents try to wash dishes after dinner and before worship. Please label your dishes so they can be returned to you.

For a schedule of Monday night dinners and programs,  click here.

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VOICE OF EXPERIENCE   

PRODIGALS GOSPEL CHOIR & SPEAKERS

The Voice of Experience is Prodigals Community's outreach and education program to the community. We offer an inspirational gospel choir, and speakers and workshops about substance abuse and the spiritual nature of recovery. Residents share from personal experience to youth, school and church groups on-site at New Salem or at local churches and schools. Call 785-0770 for more information. 

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FAMILY RECOVERY PROGRAM

The Family Recovery Support Program is designed to assist family members with the transformation taking place in the lives of their loved ones while they are residents at Prodigals Community. Families often unintentionally help perpetuate their loved one’s addiction while thinking they are helping. Residents are more successful at maintaining independent, drug-free lives after completing New Salem if their families understand the nature of addiction and the roles that family members play in their loved one’s disease. Therefore, it is imperative that while the residents are in recovery, family members go through the process of recovery as well. The overall goal of the Family Recovery Support Program is to provide family members with the basic tools needed to begin the process of their own recovery.

Our Family Recovery Group focuses on issues that impact a resident’s ability to live a clean, sober, productive life—the nature of addiction, enabling, denial, boundaries and co-dependency. Family members and others who have a direct impact on our residents’ lives are required to attend the monthly group before visiting their loved ones during visitation time.

Our Family Recovery Support Program is currently being evaluated and restructured.

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