BWROC receives $30,000 grant for new Engagement Center

Blue Water Recovery and Outreach Center has received a significant financial boost in its plans to open a new engagement center.

BWROC has received a $30,000 grant from the James C. Acheson Donor Advised Fund at the Community Foundation of St. Clair County. The center plans to open the space at 619 Suite A 10th St., which is upstairs from the outreach center. The grant from the James C. Acheson Donor Advised Fund will also be used for furniture and other start-up costs.

BWROC Executive Director Patrick Patterson said via press release that an engagement center is a need in St. Clair County. He said the engagement center is a lifesaving effort for the organization.

"It's a place for someone who has relapsed to go to for a short-term stay," he said. "Often if a person relapsed on Monday, they would be waiting until Thursday for treatment."

Patterson said the engagement center would provide a safe place for people to stay until they go to treatment.

Patterson said additional funding is needed to support staff and oversight.

"The county has opioid settlement dollars which is designed to save lives, support local recovery and treatment efforts where needs and funding gaps exist," he said. "We are hoping the county commissioners will come alongside this important, identified need and funding gap to bring the engagement center to life. It will be hard to bring it to fruition without their support."

With the grant from the James C. Acheson Donor Advised Fund, BWROC is on the road toward achieving its goal of having consistent support through the community.

Contact McKenna Golat at mgolat@gannett.com.

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This article originally appeared on Port Huron Times Herald: BWROC receives $30,000 grant for engagement center