For more information: NRC Director Lynn Ferro
(413) 834-8627
lferro@wmtcinfo.org
Northampton Recovery Center opens in new, larger space to expand programming
NORTHAMPTON, MA May 17, 2021 – On April 20, the Northampton Recovery Center (NRC) ushered in an exciting new era, opening a fully-renovated location at 25 Armory Street, in what used to be the La Fiorentina bakery in the heart of the city. This Friday, their first new program begins with the offering of a six-week art group. With nearly 3000 square feet, the new center is more than double the size of the former space at 2 Gleason Plaza, where it’s been located since May of 2018. The NRC began back in 2016, with the community gathering two afternoons a week in a meeting room generously donated by the historic Edwards Church on Main Street.
In late 2019, the NRC was delighted to learn it had been awarded one of eight additional Peer Recovery Support Center (RSC) contracts from the state’s Bureau of Substance and Addiction Services (BSAS). As one of 26 BSAS-funded RSCs, the NRC is supported under the umbrella of the Western Massachusetts Training Consortium (Consortium) along with the RECOVER Project in Greenfield, that became the first BSAS-funded RSC in the state nearly 20 years ago. At $400,000 a year for three years, this funding provides for the costs associated with running a peer supported recovery center. The NRC is now fully staffed, with three full-time and two part-time employees, including a Director, Volunteer Coordinator, Outreach and Community Engagement Coordinator, Peer Coordinator and Administrative Assistant.
To meet state regulations, the NRC is required to feature a large gathering space, a quiet room, a staff room and a full kitchen. Extensive renovations to this new space were funded in part by a generous $16,000 Beveridge Family Foundation Grant, with the remainder provided by the Consortium. The fully-upgraded kitchen is well equipped with a large stove, two ovens, two sinks, an island, and ample cooking supplies, and will function in some ways as the heart of the center, according to NRC Director Lynn Ferro. “Previous experience at our center has shown us that shared meals bring people together and creates community.” Down the road, Ferro said she expects the kitchen will be the locale for teaching NRC members basic cooking and baking skills, and for a cultural culinary exchange. Four staff or members have already earned Serv-Safe food handler certification, with one acting as “Food Manager” for the Center. In addition, the NRC now has a conference room, two accessible bathrooms with baby changing tables, storage lockers and computer terminals for member use, a sitting/reception area and a large community room. A sidewalk-facing alcove will be used to mount member-created art exhibits.
From its humble beginnings, operating on seed money from the Northwestern District Attorney’s office, donations from committed community members and United Way, the NRC now has the capacity to be open 50 hours a week, meeting a dire need for community-based recovery support. Wyatt Pease, a member and volunteer says “I find it most beneficial to just connect with people. Anytime you need help, no matter what it is, someone is willing to listen or point you in the direction of someone who can help you.”
Available to anyone interested in recovery-friendly community, anticipated programming includes: trauma-informed yoga classes (with all brand-new supplies), cooking and art classes, as well as music events, movie nights, and job-readiness support. “The essential element of Recovery Centers is the people of course, but this new space holds so much promise for providing a welcoming place for all people at any stage, on any path of recovery,” said Ferro. Recently, a visitor looked around and said “what a beautiful and dignified place to seek recovery”!
The Consortium, founded in 1975, is a learning organization committed to creating conditions in which people with lived experience pursue their dreams and strengthen our communities through full participation. To learn more, visit their website at http://wmtcinfo.org/.
It is often said that the answer to the isolation of addiction is community.
That begs the question: How do we stay connected in a world where self-quarantining and social distancing have become the norm? This is the story of how we found ways to do just that…
By KAREN BROWN • FEB 25, 2020
…“I’ve taken phone calls from police officers that are literally, you know, hot calls,” said Trevor Dayton, a DART recovery coach [and Northampton Recovery Center member.] “This happened less than 60 minutes ago. Can you call them now? They’d like to talk.’ Sometimes that’s all it takes — responding in the moment to help somebody move forward from where they’re at, and not sure how to move forward by themselves.”
By BERA DUNAU
Staff Writer
Published: 2/17/2020 12:05:46 AM
NORTHAMPTON — A local nonprofit that helps people struggling with addiction is set to move into the former La Fiorentina pastry shop on Armory Street.
“We anticipate being able to move in in May,” said Lynn Ferro, director of the Northampton Recovery Center.
She said the nonprofit has signed a lease to occupy the former bakery, which will require extensive renovation. The recovery center has accepted a bid for the work, which will begin as soon as all permits are obtained, Ferro said.
La Fiorentina, which opened in Northampton in 1991, closed last summer.
The Northampton Recovery Center helps people recovering from addiction and offers support for the loved ones of those in recovery or struggling with addiction. Founded in the fall of 2016, it provides a safe space, programming and social events for those it serves.
“Community and connection are key antidotes to addiction,” Ferro said.
The organization is mostly run by volunteers and uses a peer participatory process. This means that those who use and are most affected by the programming have a primary role in how programming at the rehab center is developed and participate in the organization on every level.
“We are not a top-down agency,” she said.
By KRISTEL APPLEBEE, Consortium Executive Director
For the Gazette
Published: 11/26/2019 12:01:19 AM
The term “opioid epidemic” has become as American as apple pie in our nation’s lexicon. Here in western Massachusetts, communities have been hit hard by the crisis, with families grieving unthinkable losses. It seems most people know someone impacted. As a result, funding for opioid education, treatment, and prevention has increased; this concentrated community focus on solutions has also brought support for the peer recovery movement, specifically through recovery support centers funded by the state.
Treatment is a critical piece of the recovery continuum of care, offering a foothold to those in the deep throes of addiction. But treatment alone is not enough. Having a welcoming place for folks in early recovery to connect, heal and grow by participating and sharing with one another, can provide a solid foundation for lifelong recovery. Many people in recovery find they need support throughout their lives. Though recovery is an inside job, a supportive community is the key to success…
