Oxford House - Orenda

Oxford House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that has pioneered a unique, evidence-based model of recovery housing since 1975, offering self-run, self-supported, and democratically governed sober living homes for individuals recovering from substance use disorders. Founded when a group of men in a closing halfway house in Silver Spring, Maryland, took over the residence to continue their recovery, Oxford House emphasizes recovery, responsibility, and replication, providing community-based environments where residents share household responsibilities, pay equal expenses, and support one another in maintaining long-term sobriety without time limits or external authority. The model, backed by extensive research including studies from DePaul University showing over 80% sobriety rates, serves diverse populations including those with co-occurring mental health issues, veterans, women with children, and formerly incarcerated individuals, fostering leadership, self-efficacy, and reintegration into society through a network of over 3,500 houses across 47 states and beyond, all operating under three core rules: self-run on a democratic basis, financially self-supporting, and 100% drug and alcohol-free.