The History of Flynn Home

The next challenge before our founders was to find a suitable house to shelter the residents.  A man named John Hollingsworth, a businessman from Greenville, SC, owned the house at 311 S. Marietta Street, Gastonia, NC 28052.  He offered the house to be used rent free for as long as they needed. The house was centrally located on the bus line and had six bedrooms, and three bathrooms. The house needed work to the physical structure as well as furniture and appliances. The support of the community was overwhelming, and the house was equipped in short order.

Soon the board of directors commenced fundraising locally. Civic clubs and private individuals all contributed. The Greater Gastonia United Fund and Council, Inc., in a letter dated September 20, 1966, informed the board of the amount of financial support allocated to the Flynn Home in 1967. The Greater Gastonia United Fund and Council, Inc. was the forerunner of The United Way of Gaston County. The United Way has supported the Flynn Home since that time. Throughout the 1970’s the Flynn Home has worked with such agencies as North Carolina Vocational Rehabilitation, the state hospitals in Morganton and Black Mountain, North Carolina, state and federal probation officers, and the local Mental Health Clinic. FFH also worked closely with local industry to acquire employment for our residents. Various industries and local businesses often seek out the FFH residents to fill positions in their workplaces.

The home was managed by the volunteer board of directors and some of the residents. As FFH grew the board made the decision to find a reliable, qualified individual to be an onsite house manager. In the following years until 1978 there were many temporary staff members who took on that role, but Mr. Ernie Richards agreed to be the day manager of the home in April of 1978.  Ernie brought with him many years of recovery experience and immediately established order to the FFH and a guiding hand to the men. He set in motion the changes that were needed to become compliant with the NC DHHS contract. He brought 12 step meetings to the home and established a program that offers a safe environment for people in early recovery to begin to work on themselves and recover. He was assisted by a live-in night manager. Ernie was with the home until 2002 when he began his second retirement. At that time, Linda Martin (Ferrante) was added to fill the Executive Director’s position. In meeting the increasing licensing requirements of this type of facility, the current lead staff position is held by a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC) formerly CSAC. Ms. Martin (Ferrante) retired in May 2024 after 22 years of faithful and dedicated service, and proposed Todd McLean to the FFH BOD as her successor. Mr. McLean accepted the position and officially started as the new Executive Director in April 2024. Mr. McLean is licensed with the North Carolina Addictions Specialist Professional Practice Board as a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC) and is also credentialed as an Advanced Certified Relapse Prevention Specialist (ACRPS), in addition to having an Associate Arts degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Liberty University. Mr. McLean currently receives clinical supervision from Mrs. Margaret Wyche MA, LCMHC, LCAS, CCS and the FFH Board of Directors.

The Board of Directors were concerned about the ownership of the actual property. The property owner, John Dargan Hollingsworth Jr., an American businessman, textile machinery inventor, and philanthropist passed away December 30, 2000. After many years, his estate determined that they would sell the building to the Flynn Home at a significant discount. On October 28, 2011, the property was purchased and paid in full by the Flynn Fellowship Home of Gastonia, Inc. The home is listed as a private non- profit agency with a tax-exempt (501c3) designation.

The facility is licensed by the NC Department of Health and Human Services. It is a contract provider of services to clients of Partners Behavioral Health Management MCO/ LME and are supported by the United Way of Gaston County as well as individuals in the community. NC Vocational Rehabilitation, The Gaston Community Foundation, the NC Agriculture Department and Second Harvest Foodbank of Metrolina also provides support. Gaston County Health Department and Phoenix Counseling offer local medical and mental health supports.

Hundreds of men have benefited from their stay at the Flynn Home over the years we have been in service. Many have gone on to help other men who are just beginning on this journey of sobriety and many have returned to share the benefits they received at the Flynn Home. Some may stumble and return for a time to drinking only to find themselves back at the Flynn Home to try and get it right. Although every man who applies for residency is sincere in his need for help at the time of admission, those who will make it and who will stumble is not predictable.  The goal of the Flynn Home is to be helpful and hopeful, to patiently guide these newcomers to sobriety, and just maybe they will live to guide others out of the depths of addiction.