Two men who each had a desire to help others sat down one day and combined their ideas and resources. One, sober for 22 years at that time. was allowing those who needed a place to get and stay sober the use of a large unconverted carriage house in which to stay. The other, sober for 3 years, was making plans to rent a house and open a sober living home and needed help to make it work. The Founders put together their knowledge and other resources and on March 20, 2001 Sober Living Homes became a reality. A zero tolerance sober living house for men was born. Carriage House and Lime Street House were now part of Sober Living Homes, which eventually became part of California Recovery House, Inc., a non-profit corporation.

The Carriage House was started May of 2000 in what was an original carriage house in the back of the property of one of the Founder's property. A woman needed a place to get sober. She was living on the streets of Riverside California and she wanted a chance to recover. She stayed sober for 3 months and then moved out to live on her own. She was not able to stay sober, she has since passed away. Not a week went by when a man needed a place to live until he was able to find a job so he could get into a sober living home. He came to one of the Founders, an agreement was made and he moved in to the Carriage House.

The Founders began with one man who needed a place to live so he could begin a new way of living. A sober way. The 1st man moved in on March 1st, 2001. Lime Street House had it's 1st sober member. He helped us find another who needed the same thing. It was these men who began to do the needed work to improve Lime Street House. The work began slowly as these men needed to find work to support themselves. They also went to meetings and were busy with their personal affairs. They were very busy, indeed.

By working together, as new men arrived to fill the open beds, more were available to help where needed. These men have given of themselves and made themselves part of the house. It is they who deserve the credit for maling Lime Street House, Sober Living Homes and California Recoveryu House, Inc., the success it is today.

The Members of Lime Street House continue to share in the work load, giving of themselves, so they may help create a better place for themselves and for those who come after them. Those men who will need a place where they can be sober and learn how to recover.

The following year in February of 2002, Harmony House opened. Harmony House was created for women with children. There are very few places where women with children can go to recover. We have created such a place. It is harder for these women as they are truly on their own. They have to take care of themselves and their children with little or no help from anyone. They work hard and we support them in every way we can. 2 Months after Harmony House opened, The doors of Serenity House were unlocked and another house for men was made available for service to others.

The idea of helping others so that we help ourselves is the main stay of what we share. Giving to others, having patience, kindness and love is our goal. What we find we end up doing not only helps others, it helps us grow into men and women who are once again able to return to normal living and being a productive member of our new sober way of life. There are now 22 members of California Recovery House, Inc. We have 5 Members who have left us to return to normal living, being productive and helping others.

One January 6, 2004 one of the Founders passed away. He was sober for 6 years. He leaves us with an example of a man who was willing to help others learn how to help themselves. He gave many people a chance to better themselves. The sober living homes will continue through the non-profit corporation.