There was a time when substance use disorder had a strong grip on my life, heavily influencing the decisions I made. The disease caused me to isolate, until I was introduced to the Portland Recovery Community Center, where I found people that understood, accepted and believed in me. I owe my life to them.

I spent many days at PRCC, where I built relationships that have been an integral part of this recovery journey. I experienced the compassion and acceptance that I so desperately needed. It wasn’t just a place where I would attend a meeting with others that shared my struggles; it was a place where we could congregate and have a warm coffee on a cold winter day. A place where we could access resources and hear of job opportunities. It was our own little village.

It has been said that the recovery community is a family and the community centers are our homes. I agree. I now reside in Kennebec County and am a father, partner and employee, but sadly my recovery family is homeless. There is no recovery community center here.

I write this letter today in support of Sen. Chloe Maxmin’s bill, L.D. 488, to open recovery community centers in Maine counties that do not currently have one. The opposite of addiction is connection and now more than ever those of us with substance use disorder need a place to connect, we need recovery community centers, we need a home.

 

Ryan Paige

Vassalboro

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