KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — When people leave prison, or when people are homeless, they may not have many choices on where to go. Commonly, they may end up in environments that encourage substance abuse and hinder their recovery journey.
The Metro Drug Coalition offers a resource meant to prevent people from ending up in those environments during a time when they're most at risk for developing addictions. The Recovery Housing Support Fund is one of the most in-demand resources of the coalition.
"I never thought that recovery was for me. It wasn't even a thought in my mind, but it was for me," said Jasmine Morrison, who is recovering from addiction.
Morrison said she decided to start seeking recovery help after her boyfriend died of an overdose while they were in bed. She said her decision came after around 20 years of substance abuse, which she said began when she used Xanax as an 11-year-old.
"If I can do it, anybody can do it. Give yourself a break and live," she said.
The Recovery Housing Support Fund helped Jasmine find a safe place where she could recover from addiction. Around three years later, she said the Metro Drug Coalition was vital for her success.
"I don't think people understand the importance of someone having a safe, structured environment to recover from," Jessica Stanley said with Metro Drug Coalition. "Someone coming out of either incarceration or a treatment facility, and they don't have a home to go to."
The coalition launched the resource in 2018 and has helped around 500 people enter a recovery home, funding their entrance.
"We're recovering, our families are recovering, our communities are recovering," Stanley said.
The Recovery Housing Fund provides a one-time scholarship to cover the person's deposit to get into the home. The resource is ran by donations and grants.
Metro Drug Coalition will be selling recovery t-shirts at an Overdose International Awareness Day event at the Knoxville Convention. The event goes from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Aug. 31. All proceeds from the sales will go to help someone enter a recovery home.