Magdalene program
Encyclopedia
Magdalene is a recovery program in Nashville, Tennessee
for women who have histories of substance abuse and prostitution. It was founded in 1996 by Becca Stevens, an Episcopal priest and the current chaplain of St. Augustine's Church at Vanderbilt University
. The women participating in the program live communally in several residences in Nashville.
The system of recovery practiced at Magdalene is based on the twelve steps and twelve traditions of Narcotics Anonymous
. In addition to NA and counseling, the Magdalene program offers job and financial skills training to the women so that they may live productive lives free of criminal activity. An individual typically leaves the program after two years.
The Magdalene program requires that its participants find work after six months in recovery. Many find this employment with Thistle Farms, an affiliated business started in 2001 that helps to fund the program.
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
for women who have histories of substance abuse and prostitution. It was founded in 1996 by Becca Stevens, an Episcopal priest and the current chaplain of St. Augustine's Church at Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University is a private research university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, the university is named for shipping and rail magnate "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided Vanderbilt its initial $1 million endowment despite having never been to the...
. The women participating in the program live communally in several residences in Nashville.
The system of recovery practiced at Magdalene is based on the twelve steps and twelve traditions of Narcotics Anonymous
Narcotics Anonymous
Narcotics Anonymous is a twelve-step program modeled after Alcoholics Anonymous describing itself as a "fellowship or society of men and women for whom drugs had become a major problem," and it is the second-largest 12-step organization...
. In addition to NA and counseling, the Magdalene program offers job and financial skills training to the women so that they may live productive lives free of criminal activity. An individual typically leaves the program after two years.
The Magdalene program requires that its participants find work after six months in recovery. Many find this employment with Thistle Farms, an affiliated business started in 2001 that helps to fund the program.