SAFFORD — The next step in helping Gila Valley residents battle addiction gets underway Friday.
The Graham County Substance Abuse Coalition will conduct a ground-breaking for the new Caring Hearts Sober Living Facility for Women, at 1 p.m., next to the Marge Schade House of Hope Sober Living Facility for Men.
“We staked it out there the other day, and we have plenty of room on the property,” said John Howard with the Graham County Substance Abuse Coalition. “We’ve got it all designed, great ideas, the women will have a play area for their children to come and visit them (and) they will have recreational area outside for barbecuing.”
The plan to start fund-raising for a women’s facility was announced at the naming of the men’s facility on July 4, on what would have been Marge Schade’s 100th birthday. Around 150 days later, the Coalition announced it had secured the funds necessary to begin work.
Four major donors are providing the bulk of the funding — $200,000 from the Freeport-McMoRan Community Investment Fund, $200,000 from the United Way of Graham and Greenlee Counties, $160,000 from Graham County from the opioid settlement, and $100,000 from Arizona Complete Health — with individual contributions and local businesses providing in-kind services to make up the balance needed.
“Our community is absolutely amazing, and so supportive,” said Kathy Grimes, executive director for Graham County Substance Abuse Coalition. “We do appreciate it very much, because we couldn’t do this without them.”
Sober living facilities help those coming out of rehab transition back into the community, as well as provide meeting space for those in 12-step programs. The live-in facility requires sobriety, counseling, community service, and helps residents obtain driver’s licenses and jobs.
