SIDNEY — Sheila Lundy, director of Samaritan Works, talked about her organization during a presention, Aug. 23, to the Sidney Kiwanis Club.

She is a licensed social worker and a graduate of Wright State University. She is a lifetime resident of Sidney and was named to her position in March of this year. Also introduced was Community Outreach Coordinator Cindy Couchot.

Samaritan Works is a faith based organization that is dedicated to serving those who struggle with drug or alcohol addictions, Lundy said. The program promotes faith, hope, structure and accountability to foster sustainable whole-life recovery for men and women. Their slogan is “Overcoming addiction, one day at a time, one person at a time.”

Samaritan Works is a residential program that provides two sober-living homes for men and women. Each home is designed to provide a stable and structured environment to help individuals attain their recovery goals. The men’s home is known as Serenity House and the women’s home is Amelia House. The program is six to 18 months in length. There is also a graduate program in which recovering addicts can move into an apartment.

There are strict eligibility requirements to be admitted to the houses. A person must admit to an alcohol or drug addiction, commit to stay for at least 6 months, pay weekly rent, stay drug free, attend church and Bible study and more.

The organization’s office is at 130 N. Main Ave. in downtown Sidney and it is a nonprofit organization which receives no government funding but relies on individual donations, assistance from local organizations and churches and the local United Way. Donations of food and clothing are accepted. They also rely on local volunteers.

On average, there are around 16 people in the program. Twenty-five percent successfully complete the six-month program and more than half find paid employment. Fifty percent are considered homeless when they arrive.