Isaiah 117 House’s Virginia expansion highlighted; Opioid Abatement Authority letter backs use of settlement funds

Lynchburg, Va. — Isaiah 117 House presenters told a Virginia Opioid Abatement Authority webinar that the nonprofit’s home-like sites are easing trauma for children taken into foster care and outlined expansion plans across the state, with funding coming from donors, local governments and, in one case, an Opioid Abatement Authority grant.

"We view your work as a form of substance abuse prevention," reads a letter presented during the webinar from Tony McDowell, identified in the session as the executive director of the Opioid Abatement Authority. The letter says Isaiah 117 House’s services — immediate physical and emotional support on removal day — fall within the OAA’s "gold standard" policy for allowable use of opioid settlement funds.

The session included four Virginia location leaders. Terry Becker, the Lynchburg location leader, said the Lynchburg open home (a renovated historic house that opened in July 2023) has served more than 200 children as overnight guests and prepared more than 330 "packed bags" for children entering foster care. Jenny Butcher, Rockingham location leader, said Rockingham’s house broke ground in July 2025 and aims to open in April next year. Akashia/Akisha Nunley (Russell County) said Russell used an Opioid Abatement Authority grant to cover first-year operations and construction; Savannah Harrison (Washington County) described a longer development timeline with an expected opening by year-end or early next year.

Presenters described the Isaiah 117 House model as a short-term, non-placement, home-like alternative to a Department of Social Services office during removal. Services listed included meals, bathing, new clothing from a dedicated "giving room," visitation/reunification space for parents, and an on-site office where social workers can make private calls. Presenters said volunteers are screened (background checks including local social-services checks and a private-system check) and complete a trauma-informed three-part caregiver training.

Organizational metrics cited in the webinar said Isaiah 117 House was founded in 2017, opened its first house in 2018 and now reports about 60 locations across 13 states, with 37 open homes and more than 10,000 children served to date; presenters said around 4,000 guests were served in the previous year.

Speakers gave numerical details on local need. The webinar cited a Virginia foster-care count of 5,711 children and quoted a national statistic that, within two years of aging out of foster care, 81% will experience incarceration, homelessness, addiction or death. Presenters also cited state averages that 32.38% of removals are due to parental substance abuse and 3.52% to children’s substance abuse. Local social workers’ estimates were given in the webinar that 85–95% of removals in the presenters’ area involve substance use; based on their stated total of 187 children in care across three counties, presenters estimated roughly 158 children in those counties had been removed for substance-use-related reasons (that 158 is a count derived from the presenters’ 85% estimate applied to 187 children).

On costs, presenters said projects typically require about $75,000 raised to break ground and that a fully funded first-year operating budget of $175,000 is required before a house opens; they also said the annual operations budget runs about $175,000 and estimated about $300 in annual support per guest. Recurring donors called "sock buddies" (commonly $25/month) and fundraising events such as "Lemonade Weekend" are major revenue sources alongside private grants and community donations.

In the webinar’s question-and-answer period, presenters clarified funding mechanics: Russell County reported a one-time OAA grant that covered opening costs and plans to apply for sustainability funding in future cycles; Lynchburg said it has not used OAA funding and has relied on local donors. Presenters also said stays at Isaiah 117 House are not considered placements by local DSS because children remain in DSS custody while receiving care at the house.

The OAA letter read during the session framed Isaiah 117 House’s interventions at removal day as preventive measures that reduce the trauma known to increase later risk of substance-use disorders, supporting the case for using opioid settlement funds to underwrite some operations and openings.

The webinar recording, slides and contact information were to be posted on the Opioid Abatement Authority website and emailed to registrants. Presenters directed attendees to their state director, Demoria Walker, for onboarding steps and local coordination.