Marguerite Centre, Nova Scotia's only recovery home for women battling alcohol, drug and gambling addictions, is in danger of closing at the end of December. The centre is running a deficit of $100,000, and that has the home asking for emergency funding from the province on the grounds the three recovery houses for men in the province receive more government funding than it does. Each bed at male recovery centres gets about $22,000 from government, while it is about $16,000 at her (Lisa Mullin, executive director) centre. Mullin says about $70,000 of the $100,000 deficit the centre is facing comes from the disparity in government funding. Provincial funding for Marguerite Centre has been frozen since 2007-2008, even though the costs to run the home have risen by 15 per cent. The (NS health) department confirms the Marguerite Centre's $174,310 in funding is the lowest. Alcare Place gets $246,947, Freedom Foundation receives $265,260, while Talbot House draws $391,800 from the province. Mullin continues to fundraise and is driven by the grim possibility the centre could shut down at the end of the year. "Asking them to leave is very difficult to have to do. Compounded by the fact that it may be the holidays, and they may have to go back to undesirable locations," she said. "It makes me sick to think that we will be putting these women at jeopardy." Above information quoted from CBC http://www.cbc.ca/m/news/canada/nova-scotia/marguerite-centre-lisa-mullin-1.3265735 This is a cause close to my heart. As a women in recovery my journey was kick started in 2009 when I spent 4 months at the centre. I gained invaluable insight into myself and my disease as well as tools and life skills such as communication and conflict resolution. I developed a sense of self, responsibility and a way to better manage my disease. I have known many women from all over the province who have benefitted from the intense long term treatment as well as from the love and support the centre offers. As this is the ONLY women's facility in the province I can't help but be deeply grieved by the potential loss of such a resource. It would surely result in loss of life for women in the recovery community. I hope you will do your part and support the women of Nova Scotia on this issue.