RALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF) — Healing Transitions celebrated the completion of its Men’s Campus expansion and renovation with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday (August 25) followed by a community cookout and its annual Fred Barber Legacy of Service Awards. Joining in the presentation were North Carolina Senator Jim Burgin, Mayor of Raleigh Janet Cowell, Wake County Board of Commissions Chair Don Mial, community partners, alumni and various supporters.
The milestone, which coincides with Healing Transitions’ 25th anniversary–made possible through Healing Transitions’ Recovery Can’t Wait capital campaign–adds 115 residential beds, new restrooms and showers and improved staff sight-lines while reclaiming 32 emergency shelter beds. The project also includes a renovated kitchen and expanded dining area, a 104-seat classroom for on-site recovery classes, and a new vocational skills and training building where participants can gain hands-on experience in areas like lawn care, repair and painting.
“This expansion is going to create more opportunities for people to access the support they need to begin and sustain recovery,” said Chris Budnick, executive director of Healing Transitions. “For 25 years, our community has come together to make recovery possible for people who too often have nowhere else to turn. We’re grateful to our donors, partners, alumni and supporters whose investment is helping us serve more people and strengthen our community for years to come.”
The ribbon-cutting ceremony was the beginning of a full afternoon and evening of events at the Men’s Campus, with a community cookout followed by the Fred Barber Legacy of Service Awards, which recognize individuals who have demonstrated a commitment to service and the organization’s mission. It began in 2016 as a way to honor the service ethic embodied by Fred Barber, one of the founders of The Healing Place of Wake County, who gave his time, talents, and resources through serving on various nonprofit boards, teaching weekly recovery classes, mentoring countless individuals, and helping people find housing and employment.
For 25 years, Healing Transitions has provided peer-driven recovery services at no cost to people experiencing homelessness and substance use disorders. Today, the organization serves more than 450 men and women each day, with more than 80% of program graduates remaining drug- and alcohol-free one year after completing the program.