LACIE SILVA
Editor
Champion Recovery, led by Executive Director Alyson Riley, has expanded its services with the opening of a new Life Recovery Center at 300 Cornerstone Drive in Jasper.
For the past eight years, Riley has overseen Champion Recovery Community, a program dedicated to bridging the gap between recovery and reintegration into society. The ministry empowers women by providing resources, support, and a space where they can learn, develop coping mechanisms, and build a constructive community.
The new Life Recovery Center is open to volunteers on Tuesdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and to participants from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with the same hours available on the second Saturday of each month. Riley shared her hopes to eventually expand the center’s offerings by securing more funding through grants and abatement money to increase the number of available service days. The facility includes essential resources such as showers, laundry services, internet access, and computers. Case managers will be on hand to help participants navigate challenges like health coverage and other bureaucratic hurdles, ensuring that no one loses vital services.
The center will also offer separate recovery meetings for men and women, aiming to foster a supportive environment for all participants. Riley expressed gratitude for the community’s support, highlighting the need for monthly donors and volunteers. Churches have already begun to contribute by providing meals, and the center plans to serve nine meals a month, aided by volunteers offering counseling and case management services.
In honor of September’s Recovery Month, marked by the color purple, the Life Recovery Center has created a special memorial garden where visitors can honor loved ones lost to addiction. Participants are invited to paint stones with messages of remembrance and reflection. Additionally, the center has a “Walk Into Sobriety” fence, where those celebrating sobriety milestones can mark their initials and sobriety date to inspire others on their journey.
Champion Recovery continues to provide services outside the center as well. Meetings are held on Mondays from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Jasper First Baptist Church, and on Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Whitwell Church of Christ. For more information or to get involved, Executive Director Alyson Riley can be reached at (423) 664-3288 or via email at alysonr.ministry@gmail.com. Further details and updates are available on the organization’s website, championrecoverycommunity.com.
