On May 1, the Northampton Recovery Center (NRC) opened in its new quarters at 2 Gleason Plaza (“A new home,” May 1). The center has actually been in existence since October 2016, operating in donated space generously provided by Edwards Church at 279 Main St.
As a member of the NRC since the beginning, I have a good sense of the role Edwards Church played in making the center transform from being a dream in the minds of people looking to maintain their recovery to a reality that actually supports them in recovery. I was lucky enough to land a part-time job with the NRC, which required me to be in the building before and after all activities.
This was a happy experience for me because of the warm greetings from the Rev. Michael McSherry, Rev. Debra Moore and Heather, staff at Edwards. All three offered words of kindness, support and encouragement, just the kind of dialogue any person in recovery needs. The welcome they offered was instrumental in my continued participation with the NRC, and by extension, my recovery.
The NRC is a peer-run program for individuals suffering from addiction and substance-use disorders as well as family members and others impacted by addiction. It includes inmates from the Hampshire County Jail and House of Correction in its wellness activities and support groups.
From the beginning, it has been the goal of the NRC to find space of its own to rent, and we are overjoyed that this dream has been realized. However, when one graduates to a new stage, feelings of happiness often are accompanied by sadness about what is left behind. I am thrilled that the NRC is now more established in our community, but as the NRC moves forward, it is with the awareness that we owe our existence to the benevolence of Mike, Deb and Heather of Edwards Church.
As a person in recovery, I can say that for me it is a journey with a beginning and middle, but there is no end because recovery is a lifelong process.
The NRC has been invaluable to me and others in this life-saving journey and thanks to the start we got from the Edwards Church, it will continue to be.
Frank Santosus
Easthampton