Conversations with Shelly Bornstein

Today we’d like to introduce you to Shelly Bornstein.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Hope United – Tyler’s Redemption Place began 10 years ago as a non-profit organization, after the loss of my husband, Travis’s and I’s son, Tyler. Tyler had struggled for over 6 years with an opiate addiction and at the age of 23 passed away of a Heroin/Fentanyl overdose. Ty was a smart, compassionate, athletic, beautiful young man. After Ty passed, my husband and I decided to dedicate our lives to helping those struggling with Substance Use Disorder and their families find support, healing and hope. We educated ourselves to learn about the disease of addiction and are now nationally certified Anti-Stigma instructors through Addiction Policy Forum.

In June of 2016, right after we started our non-profit, my husband had the opportunity to share our story at the National Teamster Convention in Las Vegas. After a 15-minute speech, Teamsters from the US and Canada began coming up to the microphone and pledging money to our organization. In an hour and forty-five minutes we raised roughly 1.4 million dollars. This money gave us the chance to dream and evaluate the GAPS in Summit County to help those struggling with addiction.

We decided to build a Recovery Community Organization, which would be named after our son and spoke hope to those who come and named it Tyler’s Redemption Place. It took us almost 7 years to build and became the first RCO in Summit County. We opened our doors in March of 2023 for our first meeting and as a drop-in center in September of 2023..

Tyler’s Redemption Place is a 7,500 square-foot log cabin situated on 10 beautiful acres of the historic old Edwin Shaw property (TB hospital in the early 1900’s). We have a great room with fireplace, kitchen with coffee bar and seating, library loft, 5 offices, 2 support group rooms, a gym, a salt cave and a sauna/cold plunge. We also have an outdoor space with seating for 50 and a fire-pit, as well as a new playground. Tyler’s speaks “Your worth it and Hope” to all who walk through it’s doors.

We are a safe trauma competent space for those in recovery from substance use disorder and their families. We address the mind, body, spirit in a community setting, offering drop-in free peer support, resources, wellness, life-skills, arts, faith-based meetings, recovery meetings and social events. We not only work with those who have struggled and seeking recovery or working their recovery, but also the families. We offer “The Well” our grief support for families who have lost a loved one to addiction and our family support groups – Loving with Grace and Family Smart Recovery. We also offer Veteran specific programming.

Our space serves on average over 1,200 individuals per month. Offering a space built with love and compassion for those who need support.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has not been a smooth road. There have been struggles all along this journey. From trying to find the right space to build, going from commercial to a residential build that follows code for commercial because of cost, to Covid-19 and the increase lumber prices. The build was long and hard to get to where our vision was, and becoming certified not only with Ohio Behavioral Health, but also nationally as a Recovery Community Organization with Faces and Voices of Recovery.

As the Executive Director, I went from my job as a Nuclear Medicine Technologist for 28 years, to running a start-up non-profit. We created a board early on, had to create policies and procedures, learn how to interview people, and basically create a working organization. I did lots of trainings on trauma, addiction, leadership, mental health, wellness and anything that would help us. I met with peers who had built an organization for advice, held prayer meetings on the property, and began connecting with like-minded individuals and organizations to dream this out and create.

Finding the right employees who have the same heart and work ethic can be difficult. And realizing that some employees are for seasons can be hard, as we become close knit here. Building a culture of love and compassion where people feel safe to walk in takes time and didn’t happen overnight, but after much time and continual weekly team meetings and growing together. Also, dealing with so many who have trauma, including me and my staff, calls for much patience and growth in our team. And today, I can say that I feel like we have the best team, who truly cares, grows and enjoys this space and mission. They are each truly gifted and passionate for people.

There were so many times that I wanted to quit. Why was it taking so long to build? We had the money. Why was it taking so long. The build was fun, but at the time felt so never ending! Learning some of the procedures to start our organization and get it certified was way above anything I had ever done. I would go home crying. Travis had a background as a Teamster President and leader, as well as running a board and having employees, so that helped us a-lot. I truly believe that if we did not have the faith in Jesus that we did and both of us being stubborn to persevere, it never would have happened. It felt long and grueling so many times. But, today we are seeing the fruit and the stories being changed one person at a time. It is everything we could have ever dreamed of and more.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
By profession, I am a Nuclear Medicine Technologist. I have my associate degree in X-Ray. I worked 28 years at Aultman Hospital as a Nuclear Med Tech. For the last 8 years, I have worked as the Executive Director of Hope United – Tyler’s Redemption Place. I have my CDCA, my peer support (Recovery, Family), Certified in Relapse Prevention through Gorski and Certificate for Compassionate Bereavement Care Certification, I have taken multiple trainings on Recovery, Wellness, Trauma, Grief and Suicide prevention. I have been on the Advisory Committee for years for the GAP Network of Prevention Action Alliance, as well as the Advisory Committee for the Summit County Turning Point. I have always had a servant heart and been on six mission trips over the years to Romania, Kenya, India and Mozambique. This is where I learned a-lot about love, life, my faith and dreaming big. I am Co-founder of The Well grief support for families who have lost someone to addiction. This group has been in existence for over 9 years and has been a special ministry to me. We began it by walking by faith and since have helped many families one on one, in group, at retreats and at our annual Remembrance Service to honor our Loved Ones. More than all this, I am a wife and mother to 3 beautiful children (one who is in heaven). I truly believe in the power of hope and seeing lives be transformed by the power of love.

Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I do not attribute luck to my life at all, but to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for the life he has given me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.hopeunited.life
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HopeUnited.life/