September 13th, 2022 by WCBC Radio
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressman David Trone (all D-Md.) announced $30,000 to help women in recovery from substance use reenter the workforce in Western Maryland. This funding will be awarded to Brooke’s House in Hagerstown through the Appalachian Regional Commission’s INSPIRE competition and will support truck-driving training and wraparound services for women in recovery from substance use.
“The opioid epidemic has stolen the lives of too many Marylanders but the graduates from Brooke’s House serve as powerful examples that recovery is possible with the right support. After the death of their own daughter from addiction, Dana and Kevin Simmers founded Brooke’s House – a community-based treatment center that helps women go on to live full and productive lives. This fall, I was fortunate to meet them as well as some of the incredible women who had completed their treatment at Brooke’s House and hear their stories. This federal investment will help Brooke’s House continue to support recovering women and ensure their success. I will keep working alongside Brooke’s House and other community partners to secure federal investments that help provide support and job training for Marylanders in recovery,” said Senator Van Hollen.
“Brooke’s House does critical work to both help young women overcome substance use disorders and prepare them to successfully reenter the workforce once in recovery. Their commitment to supporting our communities and battling the ongoing opioid crisis is commendable,” said Senator Cardin. “Team Maryland is proud to secure this funding, which will help Brooke’s House residents smoothly transition into employment through trainings in high-demand skills such as truck driving. I’d like to thank Brooke’s House for all that they do and look forward to our continued partnership.”
“I’ve had the honor of working closely with Kevin Simmers and the Brooke’s House family since the beginning, and I couldn’t be more impressed with the impact they’ve made on the lives of their residents and community,” said Congressman David Trone. “This funding will allow Brooke’s House to continue its excellent work to support more women in their recovery and help them succeed through meaningful workforce development. I look forward to continuing to work together to change lives and ending the opioid crisis once and for all.”
Brooke’s House provides a community-based, safe, and emotionally supportive living environment for adult women in the early stages of substance abuse recovery. Providing a home-like facility, Brooke’s House ensures state-of-the-art treatment and recovery services and resources to help residents move forward to achieve their dreams of living drug-free and productive lives. Brooke’s House was founded by Kevin and Dana Simmers to honor the life of their daughter, Brooke Simmers, who lost her life to an opioid overdose in 2015.
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