MARION COUNTY DRUG COURT SUPPORT GROUP AIDS PARTICIPANTS THROUGHOUT PROGRAM

Those wishing to donate to Marion County Drug Court may scan the QR code above or call 618-973-6886.

The Marion County Drug Court Support Group is a non-profit group which provides crucial services to participants of the Marion County Drug Court. Through ongoing grants and self-organized fundraisers, the group uses the funds to provide temporary housing, address the needs of employment and independent living, and help promote a path toward recovery.

“Our main focus is fundraising for the people that are coming through this program. Having those funds there is our number one goal,” said Rob Jackson, board member of the Marion County Drug Court Support Group. “Our other main priority are these homes, which we pay utilities and rent for. These homes help the participants and make sure they stay in a good direction as they go through the program.”

Karen Bahr, Chairperson of the Marion County Drug Court Support Group, added,” We have a home that we own on Hickory Street here in Centralia. We also rent a home in Salem. We also help our participants with things they need. If someone gets a job and needs steel-toe boots or shoes, we will get those. We have paid a late water bill so that someone could move into a new home without that debt. We will help in any way that we can.”

The Support Board’s next fundraising event will be a drive-thru pulled pork event held July 25 in connection with Monken Auto. Previous fundraiser events include a spaghetti dinner held last fall, which Bahr and Jackson said was heavily attended. The group plans to host another spaghetti dinner later this year.

Having served as board members for a combined eight years, Bahr and Jackson said they have witnessed firsthand the life-altering results of the drug court program. While Bahr did say that not every participant goes on to complete the program, she noted the drug court’s graduation rate is high.

“We have so many success stories,” said Bahr. “The participants will have their records expunged when they graduate. It’s a fresh start, and that’s the motivation for many of our participants. It’s lifesaving.”

Jackson added, “I attended my first graduation for drug court about a year-and-a-half ago. Just hearing the stories from the participants, from where they started to where they’re at, was amazing. They came so far in such a short amount of time, and everyone there was just so grateful to have gone through the program. It really changes lives.”

The Marion County Drug Court is an 18-month program which includes weekly meetings for participants, counseling services through the Community Resource Center, MRT courses, and more. All participants of the drug court program are nonviolent offenders in addiction.