Today at the Russell Acton Folk Center in Berea, a pilot program called Harvesting Hope was announced by local organization Sustainable Berea, which will be teaming up with Liberty Place recovery center for women. Their mission is simple: to further the recovery of women with prior substance abuse issues by giving them the opportunity to work on the Berea Urban Farm, a 1.4 acre working farm in the heart of Berea.
Director of Sustainable Berea Cheyenne Olson introduced all the speakers who helped make the mission happen, which included Mayor of Berea Steve Connelly, Director of the Berea Urban Farm Richard Olson, and Course designer Heather Richardson, among others.
Director of Liberty Place Gwen Holder explained the purpose of the project, and commented that there is something uniquely therapeutic about digging in the dirt and enjoying the outdoors.
We also spoke to Former Senior Director of Sustainability for Baxter International Ron Meissen, who came in from Chicago to witness the potentially one of a kind project going on right here in Madison County.
Meissen commented that he is in full support of the organization and their endeavors, and that although he was not fully acclimated with the dire situation of the drug epidemic, he agreed wholeheartedly that tying in sustainability and farm work would benefit the women in their recovery journey.
The opioid crisis continues its unfortunate upward trend, with numbers quoted today showing that in the first week of this month alone, 13 overdose calls have come in through Madison County EMS. Making groups like Sustainable Berea taking note of this epidemic and finding a way to help necessary.
