Clearing space for new recovery center, developers donate everything inside to local nonprofits

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MISHAWAKA, Ind. -- What used to be Heritage Point Assisted Living and Memory Care in Mishawaka will soon become the newest location of Indiana Treatment Centers, an inpatient facility for those battling addiction.

"There's a lot of people out there who are struggling and battling with addiction," said Patrick Rector.

Rector is one of them but told ABC57 he is just one day shy of reaching 90 days sober.

"I'm just trying to do better with myself, I want better out of life," he said. "The addiction took a lot from me."

On Monday, he was one of the volunteers from the Dismas House of Indiana, loading up furniture from inside the former assisted living, located at 1215 Trinity Place.

The building is soon to be an in-patient addiction treatment facility partnering with Ascension Recovery Services to run operations.

"When we signed on the dotted line, we had all of this stuff left over. And instead of just throwing it away or auctioning it off, Nelson gave the green light to orchestrate [Monday's] giveaway to local organizations," said Alicia Wells, founder of recovery consulting firm, Wells of Inspiration.

The roughly $15 million investment from Nelson Construction will put 60 inpatient beds online for detox and residential addiction treatment.

"Mishawaka was always top of mind just with the lack of treatment centers and with other players in this space leaving the market," said Brian Schall, director of development for Nelson Construction.

Before they can renovate, they have to clear out the space, and Schall said they would rather give away the items than auction them off.

"It would be a good way to help introduce us to the community and give them stuff they need," he said.

Monday was essentially a giveaway for local organizations, orchestrated by Wells.

"We started with local recovery organizations, and then we branched out using our contact at United Way to open this up to other nonprofits in the community," Wells said.

Furniture, artwork, equipment, and knick-knacks are going to local nonprofits, many in the recovery space, like The Upper Room, which provides sober-living housing and a "recovery cafe."

"We're taking a lot of tables and chairs for our 'recovery cafe,'" said Jason Pensky, executive director of The Upper Room. "We can already envision the people that come to the recovery cafe playing chess, visiting, supporting each other, lifting each other up, so we are very grateful."

And organizations like the children's grief center, Dustin's Place.

"They are helping us furnish our staff offices with new desks and cabinetry, chairs and such, so that we can focus our finances in the programming rooms," said Viki Brown, executive director of Dustin's Place.

The forthcoming Indiana Treatment Center will allow for multi-payer sources, meaning they will accept all forms of insurance and Medicaid.

Both Wells and Schall told ABC57 the plan is to open the new addiction center this upcoming June.

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