Media Advisory (December 1, 2022) – Media are invited to cover the continuing progress of the Communities of Healing (COH) recovery to work model being administered throughout southern West Virginia.

The COH Winter Gathering will be held next Monday from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Fruits of Labor, 313 Neville Street, Beckley, W.Va. Cohort business participants (past and current), grant partners, community supporters, and existing companies that are hiring workers in recovery will be participating. While this is the sixth Gathering since inception of the Communities of Healing program, this one will have exciting new additions. The new cohort-based investment lab will be introduced to all past and current participants. This lab can provide an opportunity for the participants to take their businesses to the next level.

Six additional employers will receive their certificate of completion for COH training, bringing the total businesses trained and ready to provide jobs as part of the recovery to work program to 30. The new graduates are:

• Jonah Kone – Hatfield Union Timber Cooperative – McDowell County
• Joseph Hazlegrove – Hatfield Union Timber Cooperative – McDowell County
• Stephanie Stout – Pluggd Inc. – Berkeley County
• Austin Moore – A.I.R.R.O. LLC – Raleigh County
• Toni Robinson – Action Printing & Services Inc. – Fayette County
• Ruschelle Khanna – Mountain Mama Stitchery – Raleigh County

Tammy Jordan, president of Fruits of Labor, said everything we do revolves around the employees in recovery. “I am hearing many positive stories from our employers and social enterprises, and we plan to share those successes at the Winter Gathering,” said Jordan. “At Fruits of Labor, we are celebrating four students graduating Empowered Employment this month and starting their next position advancement as Station Supervisor.”

Opportune times for interviews include: 9:30 – 9:55 a.m., or during breaks at 10:45 -11:00 a.m., lunch 12:00 -1:00 p.m., and at the end of the program at 3:00 p.m.

Judy Moore of the West Virginia Hive Network ([email protected], 304-669-4870) will be the on-site event point of contact.

Winter Gathering Agenda

• 9:30 – 10:00 a.m. Registration and Light Breakfast
• 10:00 a.m. Welcome and Introduction of Partners
• 10:15 a.m. Panel Discussion: Growing Your Business While Investing in Your Community
• 10:30 a.m. Introduction of Past and Current Cohort Participants
• 10:45 a.m. Break and Networking Time
• 11:00 a.m. Fruits of Labor Stories of Healing
• 11:15 a.m. Panel Discussion: Recovery Friendly Workplace and Second Chance Employment
• 11:30 a.m. Seed Sower – Recovery Housing and Stigma Reduction
• 11:40 a.m. Video Presentation: Fall 2022 Cohort Participants
• 11:55 a.m. Recognition of Officials and Presentation of Graduate Certificates
• 12:00 p.m. Lunch and Networking
• 1:00 p.m. Introduction to Investment Lab Cohort Opportunity
• 1:30 p.m. Legal Aid — Small Business Services
• 1:45 p.m. Region One Workforce WV: Empowered Employment Successes
• 2:00 p.m. Cohort Participants and Partners Roundtable Discussion
• 3:00 p.m. Closing Remarks

The Communities of Healing program was funded in 2020 by the Appalachian Regional Commission. The innovative program is designed on the success of Fruits of Labor, a culinary program that has worked for 10 years with those in recovery and 21 years in business. The successful Communities of Healing program includes a partnership group consisting of Fruits of Labor, Region 4 Planning and Development Council, Seed Sower, Inc., Wright Venture Services, Region 1 Workforce Development Board, and West Virginia Hive. More information about the Communities of Healing program can be found at http://www.communitiesofhealing.com.

The WV Hive is the entrepreneurship program of the New River Gorge Regional Development Authority, the administrator of the Country Roads Angel Network, and a Communities of Healing program partner. More information about the WV Hive can be found at https://wvhive.com/.