History of SARA-IRP & IV-CHARIS

SARA-IRP began in 1987 by Pastor Michael Harris, Sr., as a Biblically based substance abuse support group, primarily operating on Thursday and Friday evenings. At the time, the majority of the participants were members of Pastor Harris’ congregation or their families. However, soon the groups began to include persons from other churches, NA, AA and walk-ins from the surrounding neighborhoods. It was during this period that the program attained a 501(c) 3 non-profit status and subsequently expanded the services into outpatient substance counseling, domestic violence prevention, anger management, etc. The major focus at this time was to attain a building in order to establish residential treatment services—initially for men; later for women and their children.

In 1996, SARA-IRP acquired a building at 821 Bank Street, Cincinnati, Ohio. Outpatient services were expanded to 3-4 times per week, an adolescent substance abuse program and a support group for children of addicts began operating. In February 1998, the program opened for adult male residential treatment. Also, during that year, SARA-IRP was the recipient of state and local grant money to renovate the Bank Street facility. Consequently, in October 1998, the residential treatment component of the program was suspended until the completion of the renovation in early 2001. The outpatient services were ongoing at another site during the renovation period. The male residential program is now re-opened with plans to expand the capacity from 6 to 10 beds. SARA-IRP also anticipates the opening of residential treatment facilities for women and their children of and HIV infected clients. In fact, IV-CHARIS (Compassionate Hearts Assisting, Rebuilding, Instructing and Serving), (a faith-based agency providing HIV/STD education, testing and counseling; in addition to abstinence education) was originally established by God through Pastor Harris’ wife, Mamie E. Harris, as an entity of SARA-IRP. IV-CHARIS is now a separate program, certified by the Ohio Department of Health and highly regarded on a local, state and national level for its dispensation of quality, state-of-the-art HIV/STD and abstinence services. However, both agencies continue to operate closely in order to offer SARA-IRP clients an additional and more comprehensive treatment option.

In June 2002, the Ohio Alcohol and Drug Addition Services Board certified SARA-IRP. This certification applies to the agency’s residential and outpatient services.

In April 2004, the visionary and Executive Director of SARA-IRP, Pastor Michael Harris, Sr., was called home to be with the Lord. However, the visions, goals and purpose of the ministry continues through the efforts of his compassionate and highly capable widow, Mrs. Mamie E. Harris, who is the current executive director of the agency, SARA-IRP staff members and hundreds of persons affected by Pastor Harris and this ministry.


The SARA-IRP House
(November 2006)