Voices of Recovery

Voices for Recovery

In honor of National Recovery Month, the Chaires Community Life Enrichment Center Inc. (CCLEC) will be hosting its fourth annual Voices of Victory Recovery Community Awareness March and Rally Friday, from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. at the C.K. Steele Plaza. 

This national event  is sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA), is held to raise awareness about mental health and substance abuse disorders.

According to SAMHSA, an estimated 10.6 million people were not treated for mental health care and approximately 20 million did not receive treatment for substance abuse last year.

Pastor Cassie Hammock, pastor of Chaires Community Kingdom Center, and the founder of CCLEC, explained the reason of the event.

“The purpose of Voices of Recovery is to bring the problem to the forefront, letting people understand that there is deliverance and there is recovery,” Hammock said. “Chemical dependency and mental health is a community problem, a family problem, an individual problem.”

CCLEC is a local faith-based nonprofit agency that was founded in 2001.

It was primarily a ministry to help people who suffered with substance abuse in the Frenchtown community.

Since then, Hammock and many others have been faithfully counseling free of charge and helping those who suffer from substance abuse get back on track.

Lorie Asifor-Tuyo, the chairmen of the board of directors of Beauty for Ashes  developed an addiction to pain medication several years ago. After recovering from addiction, it became a critical issue to her.

“It is a personal mission for me to help people understand they can recover and live healthy lives,” Tuyo said. “This march is about bringing awareness to the Capitol. We have to open our eyes. We are vulnerable as a community.”

Vonkeisha Gibson, a transfer public relations student at Florida A&M University and a member of Voices of Recovery, expressed that The Voices of Recovery march speaks for itself.

“As minorities, we do not talk a lot about addictions, substance abuse and mental issues,”  Gibson said. “This movement is about making people aware, we are not crazy, or different. We all struggle with something.” 

Gibson added that her personal experience with recovery is reaching out for help.

The march will kickoff at the C.K. Steele Plaza and end at the Historic Capitol steps.

A community Gospel Fest will follow the march will be held at the Faith Christian Family Center Church at 7 p.m.

For more information about this event contact Lorie Asifor-Tuyo (850) 510-2597.