Local Nonprofit Gives Hope to the Hurting

Nestled on the corner of Green Valley Circle and West Centinela Avenue in Fox Hills lies an inconspicuous gray structure, flanked by an apartment complex on the left and a storage unit on the right.

There is no sign on the building's facade, and nothing occupies the first floor. It may be nondescript on the outside but inside, posters of courage, hope and trust line the walls.

Classical music blares from the speakers, and colorful pamphlets rest on brown tables, offering visitors some insight into what is going on inside.

"We are a community center that creates an environment of recovery for those with emotional, mental and medical needs," said Libby Hartigan, the program manager at Share! the Self-Help and Recovery Exchange. "Our philosophy is that when you involve yourself by helping others, it's good for your mental health too."

Every week, 90 self-help groups gather in the six meeting rooms. Nearly 3,000 people come every month to talk about their struggles with anger management, depression, relationships, debt, nicotine and overeating.

Sharif Rodgers, a volunteer at Share, became involved with the program nearly nine months ago. The style of self-help the organization offers its clientele sets it apart from other recovery centers, Rodgers said.

"There's no therapist, there's no psychiatrist, there's no meeting leader," Rodgers said. "Individuals can relate better to one another when someone else in the room has shared the same experience."

The organization also offers collaborative housing through a public-private partnership that provides affordable and supportive shelter to disabled people. Each resident shares a bedroom with a roommate of his or her choice.

"We primarily focus on people with mental disabilities because they didn't have that kind of focus in the past," Hartigan said. "If you're an alcoholic, you can find a sober living house, but if you don't have a sobriety issue, it's hard to find affordable housing when you've had a breakdown or you're going through something really tough."

Not long after Hartigan graduated from Brown University, she worked at the Los Angeles Daily News for about three years. She eventually received a scholarship from Rotary International that allowed her to study in South America.

When she came back, she worked as managing editor at Los Angeles Youth, a community newspaper written by and for teenagers.

"I stayed there a long time, so I needed a change of pace," Hartigan said. "I started working at Share just three years ago, but within the past two years, I noticed we've doubled our budget and staff."

Share has a contract with the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health to provide these services, but the nonprofit organization also receives federal funding and private donations. There are now 14 employees, up from just a few in 1994. It has also expanded to two locations—Culver City and downtown Los Angeles.

The organization held its support group meetings in Mar Vista for 16 years, but it recently moved to Culver City. The Downtown Los Angeles location opened in April 2009, with about 20 self-help support group meetings per week. Share serves more than 800 people each month downtown.

"Both centers have a lot in common," Hartigan said. "Our philosophies are similar in that we don't turn anyone away because we know that for a lot of people who come here, they don't have families—or they've worn out their welcome with their families—so we are the last house on the block."

Hartigan also attends support groups when she can, something she said she recommends for the general public. Her favorite is Adult Children of Alcoholics. She also attends Codependents Anonymous, a support group that helps build and create healthy relationships.

"The only requirement for membership is a desire to have healthier relationships," Hartigan said. "That was my first experience in this 12-step community, and I really had to learn as an adult that I can think differently in relationships and create different boundaries."

Although it is a requirement that all employees and volunteers attend self-help groups, it is also imperative they talk to one another, Rodgers said. Visitors attend self-help meetings to express their own feelings, but Rodgers said employees and volunteers need to do the same.

"It can be after an episode, it can be after an event happens," Rodgers said. "We go out and debrief, and we pull someone aside so that we can talk about what just happened, so we don't take those feelings home."