Discovery House is one step closer to expanding its addiction recovery program.
The Penticton organization ended 2020 with an outpouring of community support that raised $103,206 for their annual Shed the Light on Addiction campaign.
This year’s goal for the campaign started out at $40,000, which a $50,000 donation from Parkers Chrysler and owner Janet Parker more than covered.
The organization then set their goal higher, at $100,000, which would allow for a down payment on a new property, the program’s third.
That new property, ideally next door to the Winnipeg Street Discovery House, would allow for an additional eight beds.
With the ongoing opioid crisis overshadowed by COVID-19, but certain to outlast the virus, there will continue to be a need for beds.
In B.C., more than five people a day are dying to overdoses according to the most recent information available from the BC Coroners Service in December. In November alone, there were 153 fatal overdoses.
Discovery House and those in the care of its programs have also felt the losses, with seven alumni of the recovery program dying of an overdose this year.
READ MORE: ‘More important than ever’: Discovery House shines light on addiction
“It’s been a really hard year with losses,” said executive director Jerome Abraham at the light up for Discovery House on Dec. 19. “It seems like every two to six weeks, we lose another person that’s close to us.”
During the light up ceremony, Discovery House held a memorial for those who died in 2020.
The eight additional beds would increase the program’s capacity from 17 to 25 people capable of being treated at a time.
To report a typo, email: editor@pentictonwesternnews.com.
<>@PentictonNews
newstips@pentictonwesternnews.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.