BOZEMAN — After spending a decade behind bars, Thomas Fury is now more than a year into his recovery from substance abuse.
“If I told myself where I would be at right now a year and a half ago, I’d probably say you’re crazy,” Fury said.
Fury is a part of Greater Impact, a nonprofit that has operated in Bozeman since 2017. The organization runs two men’s houses and one women’s house in the Gallatin Valley. Fury is one month away from completing the program.
WATCH: Community Support: Building a Network for Recovery in Gallatin Valley
“The habit is almost so normal that you don't even realize that there's even a problem until you can actually take a look at it,” Fury said. “I’ve been able to speak about it. I’ve been in a position where I could say, 'This is what it was for me, and this is how it worked.”
Recovery Director Ashley Umbaugh said the homes are nearly full and demand is growing.
“Do you think the substance abuse issue is worse in the valley?” I asked.
“Considerably, considerably worse,” Umbaugh said.
Greater Impact’s program is built on a five-phase recovery model, which includes 12-step programming, mental health counseling, and financial classes in partnership with local service providers.
Umbaugh shared the story of one man who came through the program after living at the local warming center for ten years.
“He never thought that he could do and now he is, he has his own place, he has a job, he's becoming a peer support specialist to do this stuff for other people,” Umbaugh said. “He is actually living right now.”
In August 2023, Alcohol and Drug Services of Gallatin County closed permanently. Since then, Greater Impact has remained the only live-in sober program operating in the area.
“It is unfortunate that our program right now is the only program,” Fury said, “but that doesn't mean we won't start a fire somewhere and get people burning for the same thing we burn for.”
Although the program has Christian roots, Umbaugh said faith is not required for entry.
“I’m not going to force them to do anything to do anything that they are not comfortable with because neither would Jesus,” she said.
Umbaugh hopes to expand by opening another sober home and building more partnerships across the community.
“More resources available and more people coming to the table to help, the more people we can help,” she said.
Learn more about the work they do here: https://www.greaterimpact.us/
