by LaMara HunterKelly | Aug 8, 2017 | In The News
By JOSHUA SOLOMON
Recorder Staff
Tuesday, August 08, 2017
GREENFIELD — The Recover Project will soon have a new director to lead its peer-run community on Federal Street.
Starting Sept. 5, Mary Doherty, who has a doctorate in biology and has been in recovery since 1990, will step on as director.
Doherty comes in following the departure of Michael Lewis, who “transitioned from the director role in June 2017 for other pursuits,” according to a statement from The Recover Project’s umbrella organization, the Western Massachusetts Training Consortium. The search began around the start of July for a new head to the Greenfield program that helps people who are in recovery maintain their recovery.
The new director received her Ph.D. in biology from the University of Massachusetts, according to a statement from The Recover Project. She completed both her bachelor’s and master’s in biological sciences from Smith College.
“Mary was chosen as the new director primarily for her knowledge of recovery, her compassion for people of all stages in the recovery process and the willingness to embrace multiple paths of recovery,” the consortium said in an emailed statement. “Mary brings with her a confident energy that is bridled with positive enthusiasm and personal experience that will lead the way for a bright future at the RECOVER Project.”
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by LaMara HunterKelly | Mar 15, 2017 | In The News
By JOSHUA SOLOMON
Recorder Staff
Sunday, March 12, 2017
Tammy Armstrong is up, getting ready to drive a kid from Athol. It’s not a workday, though — it’s a pancake day. Armstrong headed to the church across the street from The RECOVER Project. It’s not Sunday, either — it’s Saturday and over 80 people in the community had bought tickets in advance for the big day.
By the end of the morning over 150 people, not just from Greenfield but around the community, headed to Saint James Episcopal Church for volunteer-made, freshly-whipped-up pancakes — blueberry, strawberry and chocolate chip — for the first pancake breakfast hosted by The RECOVER Project.
“You may have sat by yourself for pancake dinner,” member Armstrong said, taking a break from cooking in the church kitchen. “But then you might have met someone who’ll save your life.”
The event acted as a fundraiser for the group’s big event. The 14th annual Recovery Jam Sober Music Festival will be Sept. 30 at Camp Keewanee this year. To help throw an even better event, they hosted this pancake fundraiser and sold tickets ahead of time.
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by LaMara HunterKelly | Dec 23, 2016 | In The News
By SHELBY ASHLINE
Recorder Staff
Thursday, December 22, 2016
GREENFIELD — The navy blue couches at The RECOVER Project were piled high with stuffed animals, board games, books, clothes and an abundance of other toys Thursday morning, marking the third year of Giving Back in Greenfield.
Through Giving Back in Greenfield, staff at The RECOVER Project — a peer-to-peer addiction recovery group — collected new and used toy donations for several weeks. Families in need were then welcomed into The RECOVER Project’s offices on Federal Street to pick out a few items from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday.
The program, according to organizer Heather Taylor, is intended to ensure that all local children will have presents come Christmas Day, regardless of what their families can afford. Taylor said families came from across Franklin County and even as far away as Springfield to take advantage of Giving Back in Greenfield, displaying significant gratitude for the invaluable help in getting toys for their own children and relatives.
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by LaMara HunterKelly | Dec 19, 2016 | In The News
GREENFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – A non-profit organization in Greenfield is trying to help families in need over the holidays.
It’s the third year in a row the Recover Project in Greenfield has run their toy drive. The non-profit organization is collecting new and used toys for children of all ages.
Toys have included sports equipment, clothing, coloring books, and board games. Families will be able to come pick out gifts, December 22nd, which is also the last day donate.
The toy drive was started by a volunteer at the Recover Project as a way to give back to the community.
Peggy Arce, Peer-Coordinator of Recover Project, told 22 News, “Those of us in recovery have had struggles in our lives and today we are able to give back to the community in this way and many other ways also.”
(See full story and video here)
by LaMara HunterKelly | Nov 22, 2016 | In The News
Michael Lewis, Director of the Recover Project, at the Federal Street location.
The Recorder – Monday, November 21, 2016
GREENFIELD — The Opioid Task Force of Franklin County and the North Quabbin Region is teaming up with Big Y Foods to lighten the load faced by some during the holiday season. Until Thanksgiving, the task force will distribute 200 turkeys throughout the region to community organizations and families in need…Michael Lewis, director of the RECOVER Project, said the donations represent the strong community connections that are embedded in Franklin County. “We deeply appreciate the Opioid Task Force’s support and partnership in the complex and multifaceted effort to support long-term recovery in Franklin County. We’re grateful for the opportunity to continue to work toward recovery for all and would like to thank the Task Force for their donation of turkeys to our recovery family for the Thanksgiving holiday.”
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