Anawim Housing and the Beacon announced they have partnered to establish a new nonprofit organization — Full Circle Recovery Community Centers — to expand pathways to recovery for people affected by substance use.  

The Iowa Department of Public Health recently awarded a six-year substance abuse prevention and treatment block grant totaling $4.5 million to the new nonprofit for the project. Full Circle RCC was incorporated as a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization in Iowa in January.  

Full Circle RCC will function as a recovery resource at three centers, which will operate in Des Moines, Sioux City and Council Bluffs. The locations will not be treatment centers, but rather will offer emotional, informational and practical support for individuals and families affected by substance use. The centers are expected to be fully operational Aug. 1.

“Homelessness, incarceration, trauma and addiction are deeply intertwined and oftentimes rooted in systems of inequity and generational poverty,” said Cynthia Latcham, executive director of Anawim Housing. “Connection and support, especially with peers who have had similar experiences and can share their stories of hope, is essential in supporting pathways to recovery.”  

Anawim is the umbrella organization and fiscal agent for the new nonprofit, said Latcham, who will serve as its executive director in addition to her current role. A director who will oversee all three locations will be named at a later date, as will specific locations within each city. “Anawim will support it financially,” she said. “The hope is it will become self-sufficient.”

The Beacon and Anawim Housing serve populations that intersect and will benefit from a combined approach rooted in trauma-informed and equity-based services, the organizations said. The Beacon serves women with histories of incarceration, trauma, domestic violence and substance use disorder with a focus on wellness, restoration, housing and employment. Anawim Housing serves those who have experienced homelessness and who have histories of complex trauma and resulting substance use.

“We are honored to be partnering with such a well-established nonprofit as Anawim Housing for this new initiative,” said Melissa Vine, executive director of the Beacon. “There is often a gap in services for folks who are no longer incarcerated or in substance use treatment but would benefit from community-based support in order to experience connection as an antidote to addiction.”