Marilyn Grimes-Burrus, co-founder and president of Courage to Change Sober Living. Photo by Nicole McPheeters
by NICOLE MCPHEETERS
In 2016, housing for those recovering from substance use disorder was limited in Bloomington. Landlords mainly catered to students, resulting in rental prices that were too high for many people in recovery. Criminal history or bad credit made the housing search more difficult.
To fill the gap in Bloomington’s transitional housing, Marilyn Grimes-Burrus used her personal experience with addiction and her degree in social work to found Courage to Change Sober Living (CTC), a 12-step, nonprofit, sober living environment.
“We started with a one-bedroom, which held two women,” says Grimes-Burrus. “We’re now going on five years, have four houses located on the bus line, and hold 14 men and 10 women.”