Scudder House opens to women in transition

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held May 22nd to celebrate the opening of Scudder House, a renovated farmhouse on the Massachusetts Conference's Framingham property which is now being used to house formerly homeless women transitioning out of substance abuse recovery programs.

The Conference leased the Scudder House to the South Middlesex Opportunity Council (SMOC) for $1 a year for up to 35 years. SMOC renovated the house, which had not been used for many years and had fallen into great disrepair.

“It’s wonderful that the Conference can share this space in such a valuable way, instead of leaving the building to waste away,” said Nancy Lawrence, Chair of the Conference Board of Directors.

The building, painted a pale gray on the outside and a cheery yellow on the inside, has 12 bedrooms, including one handicap-accessible room. Each room holds one twin bed, chest of drawers and closet. Common areas include living and dining space, a kitchen, a laundry area, two large bathrooms and a private patio.

The group who will live at Scudder House is made up of 11 women who are in recovery from alcoholism. They have graduated from other programs and are stable, working, and have been so far successful in their recovery process. By living in this house, the women will get the housing, counseling, and peer support they need to continue down that path. The women are expected to stay anywhere between six and 18 months, depending on individual needs before they move on to permanent housing and self-sufficient living. The twelfth woman is a house manager who oversees the facility.

At the ribbon-cutting, Interim Conference Minister and President Steve Sterner welcomed the crowd of about 40 guests and said it was a pleasure to partner with SMOC. “This is an exciting time because we are committed to issues of affordable housing and social justice and helping people take their rightful place in society. This house embodies what the church is all about.”