Volunteer
Information
It begins with Heart.
Having a heart to walk with a woman in recovery means showing up with empathy, patience, and consistency. It's being present without judgement, believing in her worth until she can believe in herself, and offering support through the ups and downs. You walk with her—not ahead, not instead—honoring her journey, holding hope, and extending grace.
Preparation.
Training of the model Open Table provides:
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Breaking of the Bread
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Life Story
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Life Plan
Supplemental Training:
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Addiction is a disease
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Trauma and the brain
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MAT
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Do no harm and what that means
Referral from one of our partners.
Introduction of Friend from Referral Partners:
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Establish communication method: Group text, WhatsApp, GroupMe
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Weekly meetings - day and time determined by the Table
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Plan monthly or bi-monthly outings such as Franklin Park Conservatory, candle making, trip to the zoo, or art museum, etc.
Have fun, build relationships, be present, embrace the experience!
Duration.
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Weekly meetings or outing up to 12 months.
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We invite you to invite your friends, family, associates, and neighbors to form your own small group.
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We understand that life happens—plans change, vacations come up, and unexpected things arise. One of the benefits of being part of a group is that if you need to miss a weekly meeting, that's completely okay.
Terminology.
OPEN TABLE: Often confused with the platform to make dinner reservations, Open Table is the training organization for OpenDoor. Open Table was established in 2005 and train organizations across the country. OpenDoor is a licensed user of the Open Table Model.
TABLE: What the group is collectively known as. It consists of 5-6 volunteer advocates and friends. You will be on a table.
FRIEND: The woman in recovery who is referred to us.
REFERRAL PARTNER: An organization in our community that has partnered with OpenDoor. These referral partners receive training and help identify women in their programs who would benefit from our free wrap-around support services.
Medically Assisted Treatment (MAT): MAT is the use of FDA-approved medications, in combination with counseling and behavioral therapies, to treat substance use disorders—most commonly opioid use disorder (OUD). MAT helps reduce cravings, prevent withdrawl symptoms, and support long-term recovery. It's a whole-person approach that aims the stabilize brain chemistry, block the effects of drugs, and support individuals in reclaiming their lives. Examples of MAT include:
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Methadone
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Subutex
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Vivitrol
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Brixadi
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Buprenorphine-sublocade
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seboxone
Our Partners Are:
We do not refer to people who have the disease of addiction as addicts nor people who suffer from alcoholism as alcoholics.
Instead, we say "she suffers from the disease of addiction or alcoholism."
The disease does not define the person.