Dear Editor, On behalf of Volunteers of America Mid-States, my colleagues and I are deeply honored to receive the 2025 Appalachian Recovery Award at the SOAR Summit. This recognition belongs not just to our organization, but to the entire Clay County community that has embraced and supported Freedom House from day one. Since opening our doors in March 2020, Freedom House Manchester has served 689 women, 382 children, and welcomed 25 healthy babies into the world — providing a safe place for mothers to heal from substance use disorder, rebuild their lives, and strengthen their families. These numbers reflect far…

The holiday season is here and while some of our Clay County families are decorating, baking delicious sweets, and getting their houses ready for festivities, others are spending this time preparing for a new year and a second chance at a hopeful, stable life. Willa is a Leslie County native and is currently a resident of Volunteers of America Mid-States (VOA) Freedom House – a nationally recognized recovery program that supports pregnant and parenting mothers overcoming addiction. A unique and critical component to the program’s effectiveness is that Freedom House allows mothers to bring any and all of their children…

Fifty-seven-year-old Clay County resident, Sue Fox, just began her second year of school at EKU Manchester – a dream made possible with support from a local family’s scholarship. For the second year in a row, Sue received the Allen Family Scholarship. The scholarship is given to graduates and participants of Volunteers of America Mid-States’ (VOA) programs to help remove barriers to education and ensure anyone who wants to pursue higher learning can do so. The scholarship was started by Deann Allen and her children after the passing of her husband, James Allen. James was a Clay County High School teacher,…

On September 12, VOA Mid-States hosted an open house to celebrate the five-year anniversary of their Recovery Community Center (RCC) in Manchester, Kentucky. VOA RCC strives to be a community resource for education, information, support and socialization for those in recovery and their family and friends. The program focuses on Peer Recovery Support Services to assist in removing barriers and providing access to support and resources for those who seek long-term sobriety. RCC also hosts fun events and opportunities for its members to gather and connect as they continue their recovery journeys. VOA welcomed members of their Board of Directors,…

Since September 2019, Volunteers of America Mid-States’ (VOA) Recovery Community Center has served county residents in recovery. September is National Recovery Month, and a local organization is celebrating five years of supporting Clay County individuals in recovery. Since September 2019, Volunteers of America Mid-States’ (VOA) Recovery Community Center (RCC) has provided a safe place where people in recovery can meet, engage in fellowship and access resources. The program focuses on Peer Recovery Support Services for individuals in recovery. VOA RCC’s Peer Support Specialists assist in removing barriers and providing access to support and resources for those who seek sobriety. RCC…

“We are thrilled to welcome Trent to our VOA team. His experience in public relations and knowledge of the unique needs of Southeast Kentucky communities is an invaluable asset to our organization. With Trent’s help, VOA’s life-changing services will be prominent and easily accessible to families in need across the region.” VOA Mid-States President and CEO Jennifer Hancock A Manchester native, Trent Baker, has started a new leadership role at Volunteers of America Mid-States (VOA). The regional affiliate of the national nonprofit Volunteers of America Inc. serves Kentucky, West Virginia, Tennessee and Clark and Floyd Counties in Indiana. In 2019,…

“Today marks a monumental step forward in our collective efforts to combat substance use disorder and rebuild lives. With this multimillion-dollar expansion, I am proud to be a part of what strengthens the foundation of Volunteers of America and what Freedom House provides. This place means tangible hope for individuals battling addiction, especially pregnant women or women with young children,” Kentucky Senate President Robert Stivers On Friday, April 19, Volunteers of America Mid-States (VOA) broke ground on the expansion of their nationally recognized recovery program for pregnant and parenting women in Clay County, Kentucky. For more than four years, VOA’s…

“They give you the tools to not just get sober while you’re there, but to sustain sobriety when you leave there.” Freedom House Alumna and Recovery Support Technician Sandy Moore In March of 2020, a nationally recognized recovery program opened its doors in Burning Springs, Kentucky. Since then, more than 400 women have gone through the program and worked to break the cycle of addiction in their families and in their community. More than three decades ago, VOA Mid-States launched the Freedom House program in Louisville, Kentucky, to support pregnant and parenting women overcoming substance use disorder. Through an evidence-based…

“They gave me an opportunity to do better. Without them, I wouldn’t be driving a truck,” Tyler said. “Anybody should try and take this route when they get out.” “I knew there was a program that could help, but I didn’t know there was someone who would help every step of the way,” said Tyler Mehler, VOA Recovery Reintegration graduate. After being released from prison in 2023, 31-year-old London, KY native, Tyler, was looking for a fresh start—a second chance at a healthy life with a stable job to support his six-year-old daughter, Aria. But he didn’t know where to…