I am 1000% convicted in what Foundation House is and with the integrity of the organization. Kelly and I both felt it sounded so amazing and a perfect fit for our son. Looking back and knowing what I know, and more importantly how Ian also feels about Foundation House – they were conservative and truly underselling what Foundation House is. To say our expectations have been exceeded would be a huge understatement. We have our son back and he has grown into the man we could only dream of seeing in him. Those are powerful words coming from a father. Thank you beyond words, you all are truly such amazing blessings in our life!

Mark H.
Napa, CA
Parent of Foundation House Resident 2017

I look back at my time on Foundation House with nothing but admiration and respect. It was a piece of the puzzle that formed me into the man I am today. Yesterday I celebrated four years of continuous sobriety. In that time I started refereeing ice hockey. I climbed the ranks after four years and am now a referee at the NCAA Division 1 level. I miss you and I hope all is well. Foundation House saves lives and I’ll always put that out into the world!

Brian K.
Buffalo, NY
Alumnus of Foundation House 2014

As you know we came to pick up our son this past weekend.

It was difficult to leave the place where he has had so much success. But it is time to move on.

We did not know about Foundation House before it was recommended by professionals we had been working with including where he had been for primary treatment. . Indeed we were uncertain as to whether it was the right fit and our son as you may know was skeptical as to whether there was much more he could accomplish there.

But as you know it worked out tremendously well. We don’t know what the future holds but we are confident our son is in a far better place than he was a year ago. He really clicked with the program at Foundation House.

There were many people there who were supportive and helpful in his accomplishments. Cort was great at helping him with the project he was working on in the woodshop. Many of the others were helpful in providing advice and direction.

Of course Woody was a key part of the successes of the past number of months. I can see why other parents recommended him. His commitment to our son and what needed to be accomplished was marvelous and we have sent him a separate note thanking him.

But none of the experiences and achievements of the past number of months would have happened if Evan did not go to Foundation House. It was not easy for us given we work in Canadian dollars and do not have unlimited funds. But your willingness to work with us on making sure we could find a way for our son to not only go to Foundation House but to stay as long as he needed to made it much easier. We really appreciate how you made it as easy as you did.

R and S
Toronto, Canada

Our son Sam, at only 19 years old, came to Foundation House direct from a 30-day rehab. We were very concerned, like all parents, if Foundation House would be a good fit.. or even work. Our Sam is a quiet, gentle giant. All Foundation House staff from the owner Patrick, down to the maintenance staff, helped him every single day.

Sam was pushed outside of his comfort zone and learned to lean on people, but give a hand as well. He learned that he not only is good with his mind and heart, but actually pretty handy. He found a new passion with new hobbies as well. For you see, Foundation House does not just work on the sober parts, they do much more important work. They work on the boy and the man itself. We are thankful every day to Foundation House for Sam’s almost 2 years of sobriety.

Betsy C.
Cohasset, MA
Parent of Foundation House Resident 2019

Foundation House truly changed the course of our son’s life. Our young adult son Jake chose to attend Foundation House after completing a 30-day inpatient treatment program. At Foundation House, our son was not just a resident but instantly taken in and treated as family, from the moment he first walked through the door. Family that will always be there for him and support him when life takes difficult turns. This quality elevates Foundation House and instills a unique spirit in each and every one of their men.

One of the most special things about Foundation House was that they instantly treated Jake with the trust and respect worthy of a young man trying to take control of his life. Being able to have his cell phone, his computer, and his car at the onset of entering Foundation House was meaningful to Jake as he recognized that Foundation House saw him as a person capable of managing his own life in real-world situations, and not making him earn things that had been a given in his life.

We have been thoroughly impressed with the clinical team at Foundation House, not only for the therapeutic guidance and support offered to Jake, but also the support offered to us as parents as we addressed our own recovery from the effects of addiction on our family. Patrick and the incredibly talented people who work at Foundation House pull no punches when they speak to Jake and the other men in the program. As parents we appreciate and applaud Foundation House’s attention not just to addiction recovery, but on the deeper underlying issues that lead to addiction; such as anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and poor interpersonal communication.

We have seen our son embrace a lifestyle of recovery where he can be vulnerable enough to really want to take charge of his own life and maintain a course of sobriety, meaningful social interactions with an exceptional sober community, and an overall sense of responsibility and ownership over his own life. As parents, we will forever have immense gratitude for Foundation House.

Jill & Sam K.
Mamaroneck, NY
Parents of Foundation House Resident 2020

North American culture lacks any right of passage for our young men. With multiple distractions, an overwhelming amount of information – good and bad, and serious social challenges, people of any age find life difficult to navigate. Drugs and alcohol are an easy way to numb, and the drug culture provides a tribe for our young men. Patrick and the team at Foundation House understand that. They know how important male relationships, camaraderie, and foundational experiences are to sobriety and success. They know how to get back to the basics of what it means to be a man.

They know the “tricks of the trade” and how to hold these men accountable – all while providing the family support you’ll need to let go and remember what you loved about your son.

You will see this when you walk into a FH facility. You will see men stand up and shake your hand to greet you. You will see men with confidence navigate their day. You will see men supporting men. It’s what every man needs, whether they have an addiction problem or not. You will be amazed at the man your son, brother, husband or even father will become after Foundation House.

Our family is forever grateful for a second chance at life for our young son, who lost himself for many, many years. We are grateful for the opportunity our son had to be a part of such an amazing crew that has lead him down a pathway for a sober and bright future. We are grateful everyday for the support staff and counselors at Foundation House who really “got” our son Ryan.

Thank you.

Heather & Ren M. and Christian S.
Steamboat Springs, CO
Parents of Foundation House Resident 2019

Dear Parent,

Exhale. That is the best advice I can give you. I know that you feel like you have been holding your breath for days, months, maybe even years. If your kid landed at Foundation House, then he is in the right place. Breathe.

Let go. You think you are in control, but you haven’t been in control for a long time. The sooner you let go the sooner you will start to feel whole again. The pieces of your life will fall into place.

Blind faith. Believe in your child. Believe in the staff. Believe in yourself. Your son needs you to do all of these things. You will need to practice this daily. Fear and anxiety will try to take over, but you can push them away with a little faith.

Live. Your life does not revolve around your son. Do something for yourself that doesn’t require you to think about him. Exercise, hike, write, meditate, join a book club, take a class, etc. Take care of yourself and start living again. The healthier you are in mind, body and spirit, the better you will be able to handle whatever comes your way.

Heal. You are no use to anyone if you don’t start healing. Go to an Al-Anon meeting. Try the Monday phone calls. Go to a family workshop. Seek counseling. Talk to other parents who are in similar situations. Do something. Your son is getting all the help he needs. Are you?

Accept. Accept your son as he is…perfectly imperfect. Aren’t we all? Accept that there is no right answer or quick fix. Each path is determined by the free will of the one walking it. Accept that every time there is failure there is also learning and with that knowledge new paths are created. Accept that time limits don’t exist.

Listen. Talk less. Listen without judgement. When your son is ready, he will want to talk to you about his journey. Really listen. This is no longer about you and want you wanted. This is about him and what he needs. Be present in that moment.

Peace. It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work, it means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart. (Unknown) Foundation House is the very definition of peace. Your child will experience real life, but in the center of it all will be his tribe, a band of brothers who will help guide him to a calm heart.

With Gratitude,
A Fellow Parent

I wanted to thank you and your staff for embracing Austin when I had to let go. He is not perfect, but he has traveled a great distance since I dropped him off at Four Circles at the end of November. When Woody spoke with us, we could feel how much he genuinely cares about Austin. Austin is lucky to have him. Sara made a point of telling us that Austin was a gift. Sometimes we need to be reminded of that. So many of the other guys made a point to introduce themselves to us when they realized we were Austin’s parents. They all spoke very highly of him. The bond you all have is undeniable. Regardless of the future, my son is forever transformed…and so are we.

Thank you.

Pamela B.
Campobello, SC
Parent of Foundation House Resident 2018

We were once again wowed by the expertise, effective approach and obvious love and caring you bring to this calling.  Indeed it is infused through the whole team – every single one of whom was a terrific representative of the whole. We remain cautiously optimistic with our family progress. As we experience more of what you do, our admiration only deepens for your skills, what you have created and continue to enhance at Foundation House, and your qualities as people.

Thank you.

Richard & Margot W.
Ontario, Canada
Parents of Foundation House Resident 2019

Three years ago Brendon Rauch showed up on your doorstep, a broken soul. Angry, frustrated, confused, unhappy, depressed and drinking to hide his pain. While he was likely not the best patient, he knew something had to change in this path of destruction. The team at Legacy tolerated him, pushed him, challenged him and worked very hard to crack his armor. It was only towards the end of his stay that he started to open up his mind.

He then moved on to Foundation House for the next phase of treatment. He had a very rough start there, as well. While he was physically so much stronger, he was still broken emotionally. The staff at Foundation House tried very hard to get Brendon engaged, they offered so many opportunities for therapy, camaraderie, team and collaboration. I heard the difficulty and concern from those trying to support him.

Barbara was able to break through. She was pivotal in his emotional transformation. To this day I don’t know what happened to this young man who entered high school as one of the happiest, most positive, fun loving kids in his class. Whatever broke him nearly destroyed him and devastated our entire family.

But we were fortunate. We had friends that made us aware of possibilities and programs we had no idea existed. Someone reached out to us in our despair and helped us find all of you. I shudder when I think of my fear for his life and the hopeless feelings of a mom who can no longer help her child. It is a vivid reminder that it has not always been easy and there are others suffering as well.

But, I digress.

My purpose of this note is to tell you thank you. Every day I thank you for what you did to help my son. For today, he is happy and healthy. For today he has a good support group. For today he is back in college. We have learned to be happy for today. I am forever grateful for all that you have done for Brendon and our family.

With gratitude to you and your organizations.
Thank you.

Lesli R.
Edina, MN
Parents of Foundation House Resident 2016