MADISON CO., Ky. (LEX 18) — Liberty Place Recovery Center in Richmond provides support and hope to help women recovering from substance use disorders. Longtime partner Bechtel Parsons Blue Grass announced a gift to Liberty Place today to continue its work in central Kentucky.
For Liberty Place resident Jayla, the claws of addiction latched on at age 19.
“My life was just, it was chaos,” she said. “I was in and out of jail, and I wanted to stop, I just didn’t know how, and it wasn’t until I got here that I learned that there was a solution to this disease.”
Jayla was paroled to Liberty Place to begin her recovery journey. “When I first got here I was angry,” shared Jayla.
“I had spent so much time in jail my mind was like, ‘I’m just ready to go home.’ In all reality, if I would have went home, it would have just been that same cycle again over and over.”
However, Jayla found purpose and belonging while recovering from her substance use disorder. Today, she shared her story with a microphone, standing in front of her peers and Liberty Place community partners like Bechtel Parsons and Richmond Mayor Robert Blythe.
“I know that this place is being successful in what it is doing in the lives of these women,” Blythe said.
During today’s gift announcement, Bechtel Parsons announced a gift of $70,000 towards Liberty Place.
“It’s wonderful to hear those stories,” said BPBGJV project manager Joe Curcio. “You want to feel that whatever it is that we’re able to do is touching and helping people.”
Mayor Blythe added, “from day one, I have known about it as a citizen. But also, the city of Richmond has been very definitely involved.”
“It’s just very inspiring to know that people really do care,” Jayla said. “Before I got here I didn’t think anybody cared what would happen.”
This demonstration of community care will help Liberty Place improve its facilities and purchase more training and educational materials for the women staying at the center.
“The hardest part was taking a look at myself,” Jayla said of her time at Liberty Place. “Like seeing all the harm that I had caused my family and finding my part in my own resentments. And the best part was like the friendships that I’m making, and I’m loving myself today, and I can love others today.”
Liberty Place and Bechtel Parsons have partnered since the center opened in 2008.
