For both Kirsten Alderink and Alisha Davey, recent graduates of the Elevate Women’s Home in Hart, joining Elevate Oceana was much like other rehabilitation programs they’d joined before. They’d hit rock bottom, desperate and wanting to change. They’d join another program but, for one reason or another, fall back into their addictive behaviors or leave the program early…only to start the cycle all over again.
Despite their wanting to change and their families' and friends' encouragement and support, they couldn’t rise above their addictions. That is until they joined the Elevate program.
“This has been a great place to rest and heal, to build my self-confidence and learn to trust again. It’s been a good foundation to build on," Alisha shared. “I remember early on after moving in, I was laying on this fuzzy rug in the living room and joked to Kirsten, saying, ‘If this is your rock bottom, it looks pretty good.”
Elevate Oceana for Women (Elevate) officially launched on July 1, 2023, in the same home at the corner of Johnson and State Streets that for 15 years operated as the Harbor House ministry. Enrollment is voluntary and has four program requirements: remain clean and sober (clients submit to random drug and alcohol testing); have and maintain a job or be actively looking for employment; attend at least three spiritual and life skill meetings every week (support groups, church services, etc.); and pay required fees (the program is a self-sustaining program).
According to Elevate Oceana’s website, which offers a sober living home for men as well, “We are a place for refuge, rehabilitation, restoration, and reintegration. We use a stable, structured, faith-based sober living environment to give participants their best chance to overcome their addictions and become a healthy member of society.”
As a “Refuge,” the Elevate home provides a live-in house manager who implements the program, oversees the residents and encourages them in their recovery. As a place to “Rehabilitate,” every resident is paired with a mentor who commits to walk alongside them in their journey to recovery. “Restoration” is made easier by encouraging relationships during evening Bible studies, Celebrate Recovery meetings, and more. Finally, “Reintegration,” requires each resident to have a job and pay their share of expenses related to the program.
Refuge, rehabilitation, restoration and reintegration are words not uncommon when talking about recovery programs in general. But of Elevate, both recent graduates would say, this time, and in this place, it was different. Their model of offering stability, structure, together with faith, has made all the difference for them.
“I’d used drugs and alcohol since a young age,” Alisha shared. “But then I became a mom, so I buckled down and tried to focus on being a better mom. I was working on my real estate license, but was still using. My son had to move in with family members. I was super embarrassed. I tried to pull myself up and prove I’m not this person. I kept running into situations where I gave too much to too many, but no one was helping me. I wasn’t surrounding myself with the right people. Relationships started falling apart and doors were shutting.”
Then Alisha shared she had a mental breakdown, went to Pine Rest and then to rehab with someone she’d known in jail. She ended up leaving after 30 days and moved in with a friend. A year later she was partying again, couldn’t maintain a job, and had a bad roommate situation.
It was 2025 and without much hope for what the future held. She had plans to attend the Electric Forest Festival, “But a voice inside me said to walk to my aunt’s in Rothbury instead,” Alisha remembers. That walk changed the trajectory of her life. Her aunt took her in and called Elevate shortly after.
“We drove to Hart to check it out, but before we went to the house we went downtown and saw the Tin Man. My grandma’s name was Dorothy. She’s gone now, but it was like I heard her say, ‘Bring my heart to Hart.’ I took it to mean ‘Come to Hart,’ get sober and focus on what’s most important, like your son, your health.”
When Alisha talks about her son, her countenance changes. “I gave 100 percent to this program for my son. Seeing him smile and be happy has been really worth it. He turns 18 this year, and I realize I’ve missed out on a lot. He’s such a beautiful soul, a good kid who has worked hard,” she said proudly.
While in residence at Elevate, Alisha was able to work at Dunes Express and save up enough for her own car. Since the end of June, she has moved to Grand Rapids, where she is pursuing a degree in hospitality management. She plans to stay in contact with her Elevate family, who will be back in Hart praying for and cheering her on as she moves forward.
When asked what advice she would give other women in similar struggles, Alisha said having strong women as role models was key. While living at Elevate and working through the 12 to 18-month program, she’s been blessed to be a part of a lot of community outreaches and has had some really good experiences. “I’ve felt super-supported.”
Kirsten Alderink’s story is similar. “I started drinking at 16,” Kirsten shared. “My drinking got progressively worse in college. It was "accepted," but it was probably half the reason I came home.”
Kirsten admits that after dropping out of college, she was in and out of several programs and even incarcerated a few times. “I’d get better for a while, but nothing lasted,” Kirsten said.
By the fall of 2024, after being in and out of an abusive relationship for years, and recently released from jail, she applied to the Elevate Women’s Program. “I told my parents, who were very supportive, to intervene if I tried to go back to him. Shortly after, I ended up in jail again. I was afraid I’d screwed it up (getting into Elevate). I was used to failing. My intent every time was to try harder. I always had my faith, but then I’d get lazy, get distracted and I’d go back to drinking. It’s been a very humbling experience. But I’ve been able to work on who I am and how I want to represent myself. I’ve been able to apologize to those I’ve hurt, mainly my parents and my children. I think I hurt my parents the most. I had support. They didn’t have anybody.”
She was proud to say her daughter, now 23 and her son, now 20, have grown into very competent and caring adults.
It’s one thing to be part of a rehabilitation program; it’s quite another to see success and victory over the addictions that brought a person there in the first place.
“About the third month in, I started having these crazy 'God-moments.' Things started changing and falling into place. I wasn’t hindered or bound by substances anymore; instead, I was experiencing real love, real joy and truly living free.” Kirsten shared. “This spring is when I finally felt like I was really healing and had a real peace.”
Even though she has officially graduated from the program, Kirsten plans to stay on at Elevate for support and to see what doors may open up for her.
Both women would say they not only felt love and acceptance from the staff at Elevate, but from the community as well.
“It’s been cool watching God work,” Director of Facilities Rhonda Gallop said. “I am just so grateful to have Elevate Oceana as a resource in our community to help women and men wanting to rebuild their lives. To be able to point them to Jesus, walk with them and watch their lives restored is so amazing. Having our first graduates is a big deal for us, but more so for them.”
For more information about the Elevate Oceana program, please visit their website at www.elevateoceana.org, email elevateoceana@gmail.com or call 231-742-8493.
