Our Story
With a background in healthcare, Olivia Smith became aware of a growing crisis in the Nashville area: the lack of housing and supportive services for women in substance abuse recovery who have little financial means. Whether coming from prison, through drug court, or an addiction program, women completing drug treatment had few options for affordable and safe housing.
In 2015, after diligent research and conversations with experts in the recovery community, Olivia and a team of aligned volunteers decided to open recovery housing to offer women the security and support they needed to grow in sobriety.
As Williamson County, Tennessee, had no affordable options for women in recovery, a strategic plan was drafted, the Board of Directors was assembled, and the search for a house began.
In January of 2017, Olivia found two houses located next to each other that were available for lease. With the help of The Cal Turner Family Foundation, the Brentwood United Methodist Church Foundation, and individual donors, Healing Housing opened as the county’s first and only nonprofit offering recovery housing—serving women across Middle Tennessee.
It is amazing to see how far we have come since opening our doors. Our mission though remains the same—to serve women in recovery who are most in need. The women of Healing Housing have changed my life. In spite of all that life throws at us, these women teach us about the amazing resilience of the human spirit. They model gratitude and grace daily, helping us all to be better people.
— Olivia Miller Smith, RN, MCPC
For further information about Olivia, visit Write a New Story