EASTON, MD
Grace Street and the Talbot County Sheriff’s Office this week announced a Christmas shopping program for children and teens affected by substance use in Talbot County.
Nicole’s Promise directly supports young people who have lost a parent to addiction with a special shopping trip hosted by Talbot County Sheriff’s deputies. The program also includes a Christmas gift drive for children and teens with a parent struggling with, or in early recovery from, substance use disorder.
The program is in honor of Nicole, a good friend of Bri S., a peer support specialist at Grace Street.
“Nicole was a vibrant soul, full of life and possibility,” Bri said. “Addiction took her from us too soon, leaving six children behind without a mother. I cannot take away the pain of those children who are left motherless, but I can do something meaningful in Nicole’s honor.”
Talbot County Sheriff Joe Gamble, who has long supported recovery and has spearheaded prevention efforts in the region with Talbot Goes Purple and other programs, quickly agreed to partner on Nicole’s Promise. In December, deputies will take the children and teens on a holiday shopping trip, before returning to the sheriff’s office for cookies and activities with an elf.
“I have seen too many families get torn apart by this disease of addiction, and the hardest hit are the children that get left behind when a parent overdoses,” said Gamble. “We’re glad that we can help bring some holiday cheer to those kids as we continue our fight against the opioid epidemic.”
Grace Street is accepting donations for Nicole’s Promise. To sponsor the program, or to purchase gifts off the wishlist, visit gracestreetrecovery.org.
The gift list program also is available in Caroline County. Audra Williamson with Mid-Shore Restoring Hope heard about the program through her volunteer work with Grace Street, and partnered to bring the toy drive to Caroline County. Donations are accepted at Aaron’s Place at 401 Aldersgate Drive in Denton. For questions, or more information on the Caroline County initiative, call Audra Williamson at 302-339-5232.
For questions or more information on the Talbot programs, including to refer a child or teen to one of the programs, contact Kelley Callaghan with Grace Street, at marketing@gracestreetrecovery.org.
Grace Street is the area’s first recovery community organization (RCO). RCOs are a nationally recognized model that help bridge the gap between professional treatment and a successful life in long-term recovery through enhanced supports and services. Chesapeake Charities received a one-year grant from Maryland’s Opioid Operational Command Center to establish the Grace Street RCO.
Easton’s center delivers an assortment of non-clinical, community-centered, peer recovery support services; harm reduction resources; workforce training and development; youth programming; overdose prevention activities and resources; and support groups. The center helps people establish healthy lifestyles and reacclimate into society, while building recovery capital and working to reduce stigma often associated with addiction.
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Grace Street serves people in Easton and Talbot County, and in neighboring counties across the Mid-Shore. Referrals are not necessary and services are free. The center is open weekdays and Sundays, 4 – 9 pm. and Saturdays, 2 – 7 p.m. Daytime hours vary. Anyone interested in volunteering, partnering or supporting this project can contact Kate Dulin, program director, at 410-690-7353 or visit GraceStreetRecovery.org.
This project is supported by the Opioid Operational Command Center. The views presented here are those of the grantee organization and not necessarily those of the OOCC, its Executive Director, or its staff.
The Opioid Operational Command Center is Maryland’s principal coordinating office for addressing the opioid crisis. Under the guidance of the Inter-Agency Heroin and Opioid Coordinating Council, the OOCC leads Maryland’s opioid-related strategic planning and coordinates the efforts of all state agencies involved in Maryland’s opioid crisis response, various community partners, and all 24 local jurisdictions throughout the state. The OOCC can be contacted by email at help.oocc@maryland.gov.