Executive Director Harold Pearson outside the Samaritan Colony.
This is part of a series of stories about the United Way of Richmond County agencies. Their annual Day of Caring event begins Friday, September 17, 2021. Every Saturday, search for stories about each of their agencies leading up to the event and learn how to get involved at http://unitedwayrichmondnc.net/.
ROCKINGHAM – Samaritan Colony Executive Director Harold Pearson believes the work they do to care for and support addicts is more important than ever.
Construction of the planned Samaritan Women’s Recovery Center has stalled due to the pandemic. Grants for the $ 3 million, 10,000 square foot facility could not be met due to 2020 uncertainty that continues.
“It will be some time before that happens,” said Pearson. “That is what makes it so exciting. Women need a place where they can use these services. “
An announcement about the expansion of the women’s center should be published in the next few weeks, said Pearson.
Pearson said the new center will do exactly what the Samaritan colony has done in its 46-year history: educate people about their disease and seek treatment.
Currently, a few people are still on a waiting list to check into their facility. During the pandemic and at the height of the opioid epidemic, the average person in the Samaritan colony was in their early 30s.
COVID-19 forced the twelve-bed facility to temporarily only have nine beds for about four months. During this time the Samaritan colony was closed to visitors.
The pandemic also canceled its 2020 homecoming event. It took place in person in June of this year and was attended by over 175 people.
“It was really special to see the gratitude shared,” said Pearson. He added that her development manager Maggie Sergio noticed that every face at the event had a smile on it.
Pearson encouraged individuals to share their missions with their churches and that the women’s center needed financial support.
During Pearson’s long tenure at Samaritan College, he said the most rewarding thing is to watch families reunite and former clients have children who go to college.
“So will the women’s center,” Pearson said.
United Way of Richmond County has worked with the Samaritan Colony for over 38 years.
“We are deeply grateful to United Way,” said Pearson. “I appreciate what you are doing to make Richmond County nonprofits more productive.”
Further information on the Samaritan Colony can be found at https://samaritancolony.org/ or by calling 910-895-3243. The Executive Director of the United Way of Richmond County, Michelle Parrish, can be contacted at [email protected] or 910-997-2173.
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Contact Matthew Sasser at 910-817-2671 or [email protected]