Seed Sower Inc. receives $500k grant to help those recovering from substance abuse disorder

BECKLEY, W.Va. (WVVA) - A yearly grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) is helping one incorporation make a positive impact on those recovering from substance abuse in southern West Virginia.

Seed Sower Inc. recently announced that they had received a $500,000 grant from the ARC under the Investments Supporting Partnerships in Recovery Ecosystems (INSPIRE) Initiative. This funding is part of nearly $14 million given to more than 2,000 businesses with the projection of helping nearly 10,000 individuals in Appalachia. Since 2021, the INSPIRE Initiative has allocated roughly $42 million to more than 100 projects.

Locally, Seed Sower, which received the same grant amount from the ARC in 2021, collaborates with partners to provide supervised housing, transportation and support services to women recovering from substance abuse disorder.

Executive Director of Seed Sower, James Phillips, says these federal dollars will help continue their efforts, specifically by increasing access to vocational training through the Fruits of Labor culinary program and supporting housing operations in Raleigh and Greenbrier Counties. He says it will also help purchase four new vehicles, which can be used to take those in the program to doctor’s visits and other appointments.

Phillips tells WVVA that this is all in an effort to destigmatize recovery.

“When we can address the whole person holistically, which is why we focus on both housing and transportation and employment and recovery support and behavioral health, then it really starts a healing process that happens at the individual level, but then in a greater sense at the community level because everybody comes together around that person’s needs,” he shared.

Seed Sower in Beckley is located above Fruits of Labor Cafe on Neville Steet. There, they hold AA, NA and other recovery meetings weekly. Learn more about their work in the community here.

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