TERRE HAUTE (WTWO/WAWV) – The United Way of the Wabash Valley announced Friday that it has received a $1 million grant to help residents deal with substance and opioid use disorders throughout Sullivan, Park and Vermillion counties.
The grant, which came from the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Federal Office of Rural Health Policy, awarded $89 million total to 89 organizations in 38 states, and will be used to fund programming by not only the United Way, but also Chances and Servics for Youth, Hamilton Center, Next Step Foundation and Valley Professionals Community Health Center.
“The programs that this grant will be able to provide in these rural communites are vital to addressing the issue of substance use disorder plaguing our community,” Dana Simons, executive director of the Next Step Foundation said in a press release.
The programs, which include permanent drug take-back sites, recovery facilities, educational programs, and funding for new staff members, are part of the efforts of a joint group called the Substance Use Disorders Impact Council to help bring financial stability to 10,000 families while investing over $1.24 million into the community over the next three years.
“These issues are too great for one organization to tackle alone and getting the right people around the table and working together is the only way that our community will be able to address the root of the large scale problems we are facing,” Richard Payonk, executive director of the United Way of the Wabash Valley, said, before adding, “I encourage business and community members to join with us as we work to create more large scale success for our community.”
