July 2019 - Sentinel and Enterprise

FITCHBURG — The journey from addiction to recovery is a hard road to travel, and the forthcoming Restoration Recovery Center on Fairmount Street hopes to offer crucial tools and guidance to those already on the path to sobriety.

The recovery center has planted itself in the former Cleghorn Neighborhood Center building which closed down in 2017.

Julia Armstrong and her husband Mark say they hope to open to the public sometime in September.

The pair, who are in recovery themselves, are opening the center to address the gaps in service they seen in the Cleghorn area, as well as to provide service for individuals and families affected by substance use disorder.

Armstrong, co-founder of the center, said the building served the community well in its previous capacity and she hopes to continue providing the city with a valuable resource.

"We're running a peer-support community center," she says. "People need coaching, mentoring, they need skills, and to know how to connect with resources and regular support groups."

The center will provide a space for meetings and support groups, such as Christian Recovery meetings, 12 Step meetings, Veteran Support and Family Support groups.

It will also be used for training such as training how to use Narcan, a drug used to reverse an opioid overdose, and first-aid.

Armstrong says there will be space for employment services, such as computer lab access for participants and a closet containing clothes for job interviews and business casual attire.

The Recovery Coach Academy is one of the most important resources to be offered by the center. The program allows individuals, with recovery experience, to help guide other people in recovery.