Recovery organization awarded grant to combat substance use disorder

Josephine Moore, The Register-Herald, Beckley, W.Va.
·3 min read

Sep. 27—A recovery program with a base in Raleigh County is looking to expand its services thanks to a half-a-million-dollar federal grant.

A $500,000 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) was awarded to Seed Sower Inc. in September, according to a release from the organization.

Seed Sower is a non-profit that provides safe and supportive housing, transportation and recovery support services for adults in recovery from a substance use disorder (SUD).

The award is part of a recently announced nearly $14 million package through ARC's Investments Supporting Partnerships in Recovery Ecosystems (INSPIRE) Initiative, which funded 43 projects across 11 Appalachian states this month.

The initiative is meant to address the region's substance use disorder crisis with investments that strengthen services in the recovery ecosystem and help facilitate workforce entry and re-entry.

Seed Sower is one of 12 organizations in West Virginia to receive funding through the INSPIRE Initiative.

The funds granted to Seed Sower will be used for a project called "Expanding Pathways for Recovery and Socioeconomic Mobility."

"This INSPIRE award provides the resources we need to create and sustain those connections through a transportation service, mobile outreach, and access to meaningful vocational training and employment opportunities for adults in recovery," said Jay Phillips, executive director of Seed Sower.

As part of the project, Seed Sower plans to expand access to reliable transportation for people in SUD recovery, launch mobile recovery support services and increase recovery housing in southern West Virginia.

Seed Sower has three recovery house locations in West Virginia that are all certified by the National Association of Recovery Residences (NARR).

They are located in Dawson, Montgomery and Beckley.

"I commend Seed Sower for their work supporting the recovery ecosystems in Appalachian West Virginia (which) are integral to bringing our INSPIRE projects to life," said ARC Federal Co-Chair Gayle Manchin. "Seed Sower is a great asset in our efforts to address the region's substance use disorder crisis, and I look forward to seeing how they will help build a strong recovery ecosystem and a stronger workforce for the opportunities of tomorrow."

Since its establishment in April 2021, INSPIRE has channeled nearly $42 million into 126 projects across 349 Appalachian counties. The allocation of almost $14 million for fiscal year 2023 is projected to benefit 2,178 businesses and equip 9,772 individuals with the skills and resources for fresh opportunities in the workforce.

ARC anticipates requesting proposals for the next round of INSPIRE grant opportunities in early 2024. For more information and resources, visit www.arc.gov/SUD.

Other Seed Sower programs that the ARC's grant will likely enhance include its Recovery Community Organization (RCO) in Beckley.

The RCO is located on the top floor of Fruits of Labor, a business that also has ties to Seed Sower as Fruits of Labor employees are part of the business' recovery programs and many stay in Seed Sower's recovery homes.

The Seed Sower's Beckley RCO is called The Well.

The primary mission of the RCO is to organize recovery-focused policy advocacy activities, carry out recovery-focused community education and outreach programs and provide peer recovery support services.

The Well is located at 313 Neville St. in Beckley and is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday. It is located on the top floor of the Fruits of Labor building but has its own private entrance. To contact support staff at The Well, call 304-392-5222.

For more information about Seed Sower, go to seedsowerinc.org or follow them on Facebook at facebook.com/seedsowerinc.

Email: jmoore@register-herald.com