There's not really a place in town to talk to a mental-health professional over lunch. It's different than sitting in their office with them giving you direction about your life. A year into the project, Connor and Short realized many guests needed further assistance with recovery efforts. They acquired the building next door and converted it into a recovery center. Patients recently released from one of the few local detox centers with space and funding for homeless are admitted for a minimum of six months.
Participants spend mornings in counseling.
Afternoons are devoted to work such as landscaping, painting or even light clerical work. Oakhurst Baptist Church provides housing. In 1980, Short, an Oakhurst member, spearheaded efforts to create a night shelter at the church. Connor, who's Catholic, was visiting the Sunday he announced the project, and volunteered to help. Known as Community of Hospitality, the couple's home provided lodging for as many as five people at a time, ranging from the disabled to volunteers working in the community.