Thank you, friends, for watching and working for North Dakota Today. It was a cozy, rainy day to talk about Megan Frankl-Mann, my Nice Person of the Week, as well as a family donating their time to the Larimore Food Pantry.

To follow the Larimore Food Pantry, click here.

I told you I had more from Megan on her own path and Hope Manor; enjoy:

I walked into Hope Manor on May 19^th, 2014. Hope Manor opened its doors in January of 2014. So, in a lot of ways, Hope Manor and I kind of grew up together. I started as a resident, and over the years I just kept saying yes to the next opportunity. I was asked to be a resident house leader, which is a volunteer position for a resident who takes on some extra duties like checking chores and locking the house at curfew. At that time our Founder, Judith Roberts, was juggling everything on her own and I volunteered to help with some light administrative tasks and anything I could to help. I was so grateful to have found a way to live without alcohol and drugs and I wanted to give back. Little did they know, there was just no getting rid of me.  Several years later as Hope Manor grew, I was hired part time and eventually full time as the administrator. I worked my way through nearly every before being appointed Executive Director in October of 2022. What I want people to know is that my path wasn’t a straight line, and it wasn’t always pretty. But Hope Manor gave me a foundation, a community, and honestly a purpose. The fact that I get to sit in this seat today and serve the people who are walking the same road I once walked? That’s not lost on me for a single second. Having been a resident in the home I know exactly how it feels to walk through those doors. A part of you feels safe at last and then the disease is screaming at you and looking for any excuse to leave and go back to drinking.

I also want people to know that Hope Manor exists because of this community and for this community. Most of our board is local. Our staff members are in recovery, leading and shaping this organization. That’s not an accident; it’s the whole philosophy. We also believe that recovery doesn’t end when someone moves out. We’d be doing a huge disserve if we viewed things that way. We continue to walk with our alums once they exit. We have alumni who have been connected to Hope Manor for over a decade. The door never closes. Recently we have formed an alumni association to keep our alums connected and using their gifts and abilities to make the community a better place. And I want people to know that if they have a loved one who is struggling, or if they themselves are struggling there is a place for them. You don’t have to have it all figured out to walk through our door. Whether that door be for one of our homes or The Hub. You just must be willing. And even if sober living may not be possible, give us call, we are connected to many resources and exist to help people find recovery, even if that’s not through Hope Manor.

Hope Manor truly is a family. If you want to be part of that, whether as a donor, a volunteer, or just someone who stops in for coffee at 321, we’d love to have you. The door is always open. Our offices are located at The Hub (321 S. 1^st Street, Bismarck) or give us a call at 701-751-4005. 

I hope you enjoy this week’s North Dakota Today segment, which you can watch by clicking below. Have a great week!