Sally’s House was established to offer a safe, comfortable environment for women seeking to achieve and maintain recovery from addiction. Recently, Friends of Sally’s House wanted to honor two outstanding supporters, Ruthann Genoni and Donna Skattum, because of their dedication to the mission of Sally’s House. The garden and meditation area at Sally’s House offer a quiet place for clients who are receiving services.
Located in South Brevard, Sally’s House, through a partnership with Circles of Care, Inc., provides comprehensive substance abuse treatment and family enrichment programs to pregnant women and mothers with substance abuse histories. Sally’s House is unique in that it is a residential program which allows women to keep their infants and children with them as they strengthen their recovery and learn parenting life skills.
Rita Moreno, Sally’s House
supporter and friend of Donna Skattum with Mark Jensen, Ruthann’s son.
President Kay Heimmer of PREVENT! of Brevard and her Board of Directors saw a demand for a program to help women and children in need. For this reason Robin’s Nest was created in 1993. The program for Robin’s Nest was designed by Sally Lloyd who became program director. When Sally Lloyd passed away unexpectedly in 2003, Robin’s Nest was re-named Sally’s House in honor of its creator Sally Lloyd. Sally’s House was under the direction of PREVENT! of Brevard until 2014 when PREVENT! of Brevard merged with Circles of Care, Inc.
Friends of Sally’s House wanted to remember both Ruthann Genoni and Donna Skattum because they were devoted board members of PREVENT! of Brevard and also involved with Friends of Sally’s House as board members. Both Ruthann and Donna felt Sally’s House was important and they believed in the cause of women helping women. Supporters who worked with Ruthann and Donna wanted to have their memory live among the clients of Sally’s House.
Ruthann was a board member of PREVENT! of Brevard and was actually going to be chairman of the board. Ruthann was also a founding member of the Sally’s House Guild, Friends of Sally’s House. Both Ruthann and her husband were contributors to Prevent! of Brevard. Donna was also a board member of PREVENT! of Brevard and served on numerous committees. She was also a board member of Friends of Sally’s House. She was dedicated to the cause and always willing to help, giving countless hours. 
Since the primary goal of Sally’s House is to prevent and reduce the life-long impact of prenatal exposure to alcohol/drugs, pregnant women are given priority admission. At Sally’s House, mothers-to-be have access to prenatal care and parenting educational programs. By working in tandem with other Circles of Care prevention programs, residents of Sally’s House are empowered to become self-sufficient citizens and capable, caring parents. Since 1993, 342 clients and their children have been served.
“The clients find the garden and mediation area a place of solitude and reflection,” said Darcia Jones Francey, a board member of Friends of Sally’s House. “They love the beauty and peace that the garden bring into their situation. What better way to show love than through the beauty of a garden that can be enjoyed every day?”
Circles of Care, Inc. | CirclesOfCare.org
This article appears in the November 2015 issue of SpaceCoast Living.
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