WMMHC

The Mineral County office of Western Montana Mental Health Center has been awarded a $20,000 grant from the Montana Mental Health Settlement Trust for the Recovery Garden in Superior.  The grant proposal was submitted by Thomas Hodgetts, Director.  The funds will be distributed from the settlement resulting from Montana’s 2007 lawsuit against Eli Lilly.  The Trust has received over 200 applications for grants since it was established.  The Recovery Garden, created in 2010, yielded over a ton of fresh produce which was donated to local residents, families, and Food Bank.  Pat Byrne, the owner of the vacant lot next to the WMMHC office at 405 Brooklyn Avenue, donated the use of his property for the project.  The Garden was the inspiration of WMMHC staff and Drop In Center members.  WMMHC clients and staff, participants in the Mineral County DUI Treatment Court, and community members worked tirelessly to establish and maintain the Garden.  The funds will be used to purchase or build a small greenhouse to get an earlier start on the growing season.  It is hoped that the program can be expanded to Alberton and St. Regis as well.  Aside from the benefit of providing healthy food to the community, the Recovery Garden also provides a healthy peer group for persons recovering from mental illness and/or addiction as an alternative to isolation or substance use.