Mended Women Lifestyle Recovery anniversary
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Abingdon celebrates 272 women served, 2 years of Mended Women Lifestyle Center
Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares was in Abingdon on Thursday to celebrate the second anniversary of the Mended Women Lifestyle Center. The center celebrated 272 women who spent 730 days in recovery, according to Rick Mitchell, executive director of Bristol Lifestyle Recovery. Miyares said one of his messages to Virginians is that “asking for help is not a sign of weakness,” as he highlighted the high addiction numbers in the state. He believes Virginia and the General Assembly should “advocate for the victims” and hold the corporations and criminals responsible for misconduct accountable.
The Mended Women Lifestyle Recovery through Fairview Housing offers a 24-hour, clinically managed residential substance abuse program specifically for women in Abingdon and the surrounding areas.
The center celebrated 272 women who spent 730 days in recovery, according to Rick Mitchell, executive director of Bristol Lifestyle Recovery.
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Miyares said one of his messages to Virginians is that “asking for help is not a sign of weakness,” as he highlighted the high addiction numbers in the state.
“Asking for help is actually one of the strongest things you can ever do in your life, and if you’re asking for help and you’re a woman, come here to Mended Women’s Recovery,” he said. “It’s an amazing place. You can find restoration and rest for your soul and get on that path towards healing.”
Miyares said he believes Virginia and the General Assembly should “advocate for the victims” and hold the corporations and criminals responsible for misconduct in the state accountable.
Mitchell said the center still needs to fill a few gaps, but ultimately wants to ensure that anyone “who calls looking for help, trying to get better, that they get the right door, they get the right help right now.”
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“We want to make sure that we carry our part of the torch in a way that helps empower that entire system so that someone seeking the help can connect in the center of that and can get connected to everything that they need in order that they can take their next step,” Mitchell said.
Linda Austin, executive director of Appalachian Substance Abuse Coalition (ASAC), ASAC board members, and Del. Israel O’Quinn were also at the celebration.
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Johnson City Brewing Company unveils new ale for Helene recovery funds
The Elderberry Golden Ale was introduced as a limited-edition release. Proceeds from the ale, as well as $1 draft pints, will go towards long-term recovery efforts in the region. Local artists hosted a silent auction for their work, including pottery and paintings, to raise funds.
The Elderberry Golden Ale was introduced as a limited-edition release. Described as tart with a hint of earthiness, the new ale was a highly requested pour.
Leslie Dalton, president and CEO of United Way of East Tennessee Highlands, said it is important to remember the work still to be done as the community approaches the first anniversary of Hurricane Helene.
“It means that there’s still a lot of work to be done, right?” she said. “We had huge devastation that happened from Hurricane Helene and the flooding. But it also means that our community is resilient. And we, the people in our community are resilient. So we’ve got people that are in their homes and back to their new normal.”
All proceeds from the Elderberry Golden Ale, as well as $1 draft pints, will go towards long-term recovery efforts in the region. Local artists hosted a silent auction for their work, including pottery and paintings, to raise funds.
Mr. Taco Dorado Food Truck kept the crowd fed, while Tyler Rhodes and Daniel Byrd’s Boogie Machine kept the night alive with live music.
Abingdon celebrates 272 women served, 2 years of Mended Women Lifestyle Center
The Mended Women Lifestyle Recovery through Fairview Housing offers a 24-hour, clinically managed residential substance abuse program. The center celebrated 272 women who spent 730 days in recovery. Attorney General Jason Miyares said one of his messages to Virginians is that “asking for help is not a sign of weakness,” as he highlighted the high addiction numbers in the state. He said he believes Virginia and the General Assembly should “advocate for the victims” and hold the corporations and criminals responsible for misconduct accountable.
The Mended Women Lifestyle Recovery through Fairview Housing offers a 24-hour, clinically managed residential substance abuse program specifically for women in Abingdon and the surrounding areas.
The center celebrated 272 women who spent 730 days in recovery, according to Rick Mitchell, executive director of Bristol Lifestyle Recovery.
Miyares said one of his messages to Virginians is that “asking for help is not a sign of weakness,” as he highlighted the high addiction numbers in the state.
“Asking for help is actually one of the strongest things you can ever do in your life, and if you’re asking for help and you’re a woman, come here to Mended Women’s Recovery,” he said. “It’s an amazing place. You can find restoration and rest for your soul and get on that path towards healing.”
Miyares said he believes Virginia and the General Assembly should “advocate for the victims” and hold the corporations and criminals responsible for misconduct in the state accountable.
Mitchell said the center still needs to fill a few gaps, but ultimately wants to ensure that anyone “who calls looking for help, trying to get better, that they get the right door, they get the right help right now.”
“We want to make sure that we carry our part of the torch in a way that helps empower that entire system so that someone seeking the help can connect in the center of that and can get connected to everything that they need in order that they can take their next step,” Mitchell said.
Linda Austin, executive director of Appalachian Substance Abuse Coalition (ASAC), ASAC board members, and Del. Israel O’Quinn were also at the celebration.
Mended Women Recovery Center marks nearly a year of aiding addiction recovery in Virginia
The Mended Women Lifestyle Recovery Center in Abingdon is helping women with addiction. The first resident moved in more than a year ago. The center is also an important place for Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares. “Don’t let addiction block you from letting you chase your dreams,” said Miyares, who is also the state’s attorney general. “It plugged a hole in our recovery ecosystem here,” said Linda Austin, executive director of the center. “Many have moved on and mended relationships with family members”
It’s been more than a year since the at the Mended Women Lifestyle Recovery Center in Abingdon. The first resident moved in a few months later.
“The first woman, the first resident, actually moved in, in August, so we are just shy of that year anniversary,” said Linda Austin, executive director, . “Thirty-one women have completed the program and moved on to better lives. When you consider the ripple effect of that, it’s pretty amazing how many people have been touched by this center already.”
is a 70 bed residential recovery facility providing numerous resources and programs.
“Average length of stay is between two and three months,” said Rick Mitchell, executive director, Lifestyle Recovery Programs, Fairview Housing.
The center is also an important place for Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares.
“One of the proud moments of my time as attorney general was being at the Mended Women Recovery Center in Abingdon,” said Miyares. “The first of its kind in a 150 mile radius for women dealing with addiction.”
Funding for the center and resources came from various partners as well as the .
Mended Women is also helping prepare these women for their futures.
“Many have moved on and mended relationships with family members and attained deeper levels of recovery — connected with the community,” said Mitchell.
Personnel told News 5 this center is playing a critical role not only here in the community, but the Southwest Virginia region, as a whole.
“It plugged a hole in our recovery ecosystem here,” said Austin.
“For many years, there was a gap in continuum of care,” added Mitchell. “People would leave jail or incarceration or they would leave a detox center and not have a small appropriate step to take as a follow up.”
And Attorney General Jason Miyares has this piece of advice:
“Don’t let addiction block you from letting you chase your dreams,” said Miyares. “Your family members and your loved ones will be so grateful if you do this one simple thing — ask for help — that is not a sign of weakness, it is a sign of strength.”
To learn more about the Mended Women Recovery Center, .
Southwest Virginia recovery facility preparing to help women get back on their feet
Abingdon, Virginia, facility will help women get back on their feet. The site is expected to be up and running by the end of June. 70-plus-percent of those in regional jails have drug or drug-related charges. The community has been very supportive of the facility, said a volunteer. “We have just been overwhelmed by the support,” said Linda Austin, executive director of the Appalachian Substance Abuse Coalition. “Everybody wants this facility to happen” and it will be fully operational by June, she said. “There are so many people that are in need it will fill quickly,” said Ann Ledgerwood, a volunteer working at the facility.
will soon be helping Southwest Virginia women get back on their feet, with the site serving as a clinically managed residential substance program.
“There are facilities for men in the area, but there’s been nothing for women,” said Ann Ledgerwood, a volunteer working at the facility to get it ready for residents. “This is a place for women to be able to recover and feel safe. It’s a beautiful place — to come here and feel loved — to feel like they matter.”
Playing a critical role for women who were recently in one of the five regional jails.
“The people who are incarcerated, who are residents of those facilities, 70-plus-percent have drug or drug related charges,” said Linda Austin, executive director of the Appalachian Substance Abuse Coalition. “We have to as a community, we have to have the resources they need, not to go back in.”
Helping combat what has been called a revolving door — providing another location for women to recover.
“Going home is not necessarily a good thing,” said Ledgerwood. “Many women will go right back to where they’ve been and that is not a good place, let’s just say — they may relapse quickly because they don’t have another option.”
And fulfilling a need in the region.
“This is a big facility,” added Ledgerwood. “When it’s fully operational, we will have 50 to 54 beds, and many people have said to me, oh, that’ll take you forever to get that filled — and I’m like no, there are so many people that are in need it will fill quickly.”
Austin told News 5 there’s no shortage of volunteers working to give the facility a welcoming and comfortable feel.
“We put a post up on Facebook at midnight on a Friday night saying that we have rooms available to be adopted, and we had over 100 responses,” said Austin.
“Our community has been very supportive,” said Ledgerwood. “That’s not always the case — there’s a great deal of stigma related to addiction and recovery.”
“We have just been overwhelmed by the support,” added Austin. “Everybody wants this facility to happen.”
Also giving women the resources and amenities, they need to start their new lives.
“Many of the women who come here, especially those coming out of jail or even off the streets will have nothing,” said Ledgerwood.
Support for the facility included Washington County, Virginia contributing $200,000 from funding received from class action opioid settlements, the Wellspring Foundation of Southwest Virginia providing matching funds of $200,000 and the Genan Foundation committing $150,000. In addition, Washington County provided a supplemental $115,970 to the project from designated Virginia Opioid Abatement Authority funds.
The site is expected to be up and running by the end of June.
Source: https://heraldcourier.com/video/news/video_cb15eebb-513d-5f2b-857c-1ecdb9a88969.html