DCF Proactive Grant Supports 1 Voice, Inc's Community Recover Center

DCF is awarding 15 Proactive Grants of $1,000 each in 2021 to charitable organizations that serve Dearborn County residents.

Dearborn Community Foundation Board member Mike Hollenbeck, right, delivers a $1,000 grant check to 1 Voice, Inc.’s, President Amanda Samson. Photo provided.

The Dearborn Community Foundation (DCF), Inc. recently awarded a $1,000 Proactive Grant to 1 Voice, Inc., a Dearborn County-based not-for-profit recovery organization that provides education, peer support services, and a supportive drug addiction recovery community in Southeastern Indiana.

DCF is awarding 15 Proactive Grants of $1,000 each in 2021 to charitable organizations that serve Dearborn County residents. Each of the Foundation’s 15 volunteer board members is recommending a grant. The $15,000 comes from the Foundation’s Unrestricted Endowment Funds, established by donors to address changing community needs.

The $1,000 will help support 1 Voice's planned community recovery center in downtown Aurora, said organization president Amanda Samson, a former user, who has been drug-free 12 years. The money is designated for recreational supplies, games, and related materials to make the center more attractive to people recovering.

The center will hold about 150 people, said Samson, adding it will have a children's area. "That was a big barrier when I started my recovery, not having a place where my kids felt they were having a good time," she said.

The center also will contain a meeting area and computer room.

"Actually, we are turning the third floor into a free store so people getting out of jail, getting out of prison will have a place to go. They may need some clothing, personal hygiene items, any of that. We are calling it Straight from an Addict, so that will be a free store for anybody who may need items as they start over," said Samson.

"I feel everybody has been touched by addiction one way or the other, and we need a safe place for people struggling to reduce recidivism rates."

The $1,000 grant was recommended by DCF board member and attorney Mike Hollenbeck, who said his career has crossed paths with people suffering from addiction. "I have gotten to know Amanda and her husband, and I just very much admire what they are doing to provide services to help the addictive population," said Hollenbeck.

"It's important that people have a safe place where they can hang out and provide support to each other. A lot of these people live in dysfunctional environments … and this hopefully is a place they can go to get away from that to be in a supportive environment."

You can go online at 1voicesoutheasternindiana.org to contact the organization, which needs more financial help for the center.