In the heart of Glen Allen, Virginia, a quiet revolution in recovery was born.
Journey House Recovery Center, created by faith devoted weds Micheal Tillem and Kimberly Braine-Tillem, didn’t start as a large organization. It started as an answer to a question that many in our community experiencing substance use disorder were asking: Where do I go from here?
For those coming out of incarceration, addiction, homelessness, or cycles of trauma, the path forward often feels invisible. Many leave jail or treatment centers with no ID, no job, no home, and no support system. The world moves fast—and it rarely waits for those who’ve fallen behind.
Journey House Foundation was created to change that.
How It Started
Journey House Foundation, the original entity, began with one home, a handful of beds, and a big vision: to provide people in recovery with not just shelter, but a real chance to rebuild their lives. Its founders and its service providers — many of whom had lived experience with recovery, homelessness, or incarceration understood that transformation doesn’t happen overnight. It takes consistency, support, and community.
From the beginning, the mission was clear: create a space that helps people in addiction recovery get back on their feet with dignity, direction, and real opportunities for growth.
The first residents of Journey House didn’t just live there and attend meetings, they helped shape it. They built routines, contributed to the space, supported one another, trusted themselves, and proved that with the right environment, lasting recovery was possible. Which birthed Journey House Alumni, who continue to thrive on their own.
Growing with Purpose
Over the years, Journey House Foundation has grown from that single home into a network of recovery residences and reentry support services across the Richmond area. And even though the size has changed, the purpose has not.
Journey House Foundation is now part of Journey House Recovery Center, an integrated network of affiliated recovery care and support services in Richmond, VA. Under that umbrella is Journey House Behavioral Health, Journey House Richmond – Recovery Housing, and Journey House Foundation. Journey House Recovery Center’s affiliated network of services provides:
Journey House Behavioral Health
- Outpatient Behavioral Health Treatment and Registered Peer Recovery Support
- Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP)
- Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)
Journey House Richmond – Recovery Residences
- Transitional housing for people navigating recovery, reentry, and homelessness.
- VARR (Virginia Association of Recovery Residences) and DBHDS (Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services) certified sober living for men and women.
- Level 2: Monitored Recovery Residences and Level 3: Supervised Recovery Residences
- Job readiness support and employment coaching to help residents become financially independent.
- Help obtaining vital documents like birth certificates, Social Security cards, and ID’s essentials for accessing work, healthcare, and housing.
- Family reunification support, guiding individuals as they rebuild relationships with children, parents, and loved ones.
- Support for justice-involved individuals, including those on probation, parole, or returning from incarceration.
Every service offered at Journey House Recovery Center is built on trust, structure, and community. These three pillars guide each individual’s path forward.
Why It Matters
For many, Journey House Recovery Center is the first place they’ve felt safe in a long time. It’s not just about staying sober or out of jail. It’s about rediscovering who you are and what you’re capable of. It’s about rewriting your story not just surviving, but thriving.
Participants come to Journey House with different backgrounds and different needs, but they all share one thing in common: the desire to change their lives. And we believe that with the right support, anyone can.
Journey House Recovery Center exists to walk alongside people through that change. We don’t do the work for them but we make sure they never have to do it alone.
Looking Ahead
As we continue to grow, we remain grounded in our founding belief: that recovery is a journey, not a destination. And that everyone ,no matter their past ,deserves a future. We provide a full continuum of substance use disorder (SUD) care that combines clinical, evidence-based addiction recovery treatment with real-life addiction recovery support services. This provides the comprehensive tools and environment to thrive in long-term recovery from substance use.
Whether you’re someone looking for help, a family member supporting a loved one, or a community partner looking to make a difference, you are part of the Journey House story.
We invite you to join us Journey House Foundation in our mission as we continue to provide homes, healing, and hope to those who need it most.