FISHERS — Recovery Cafe Hamilton County supports people through their toughest times, including drug addiction recovery and depression. The cafe received some support of its own this week.
Fishers awarded the Recovery Cafe a $10,000 grant to improve its facilities, part of a $250,000 non-profit grant program from the city.
"They're trying to break down those barriers for what people think recovery is," said Recovery Cafe Hamilton County Associate Executive Director Bryan Beasley. "It's been wonderful."
The facility offers musical instruments, puzzles and board games for emotional healing. They also have conversations over meals or in a circle to discuss the issues participants are trying to work through.
"When we say recovery, we're not just talking about substance abuse and addiction," Beasley said. "It can be loneliness, it can be mental illness. It can be homelessness or food insecurity."
Beasley said the facility will use the grant money to renovate its kitchen.
Cafe participants include Elise Pentz, who needed emotional support in her continued recovery from a brain tumor. She also experienced substance abuse issues in her youth, including a stint in drug rehab.
"I relapsed and then I ended up homeless. That's the reason I came back to rehab then because I was desperate," Pentz said. "That's the thing about recovery. You have to be desperate to really get it."
Pentz has taken up art and coloring books at the cafe. She is now twelve years sober and said her new community will help keep her on that path.
"Coming in here is nice because there's people in here that care about me or at least aren't mean to me," Pentz said. "I can also color when I come in."
Recovery Cafe Hamilton County meets Mondays and Thursdays from 4 pm. to 8 p.m. and on Fridays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
