Statewide initiative launched to give back to those in recovery
Dec 3, 2024, 9:25 PM | Updated: Dec 6, 2024, 9:20 am
SALT LAKE CITY — This holiday season, North Star Recovery & Wellness is leading a statewide initiative to give back to those in recovery with a holiday clothing drive.
The effort invites community members across Utah to donate new or gently used clothing to support individuals in local recovery programs, helping those who are rebuilding their lives after struggling with addiction and mental health challenges.
“We’re all tackling the same thing, and everyone needs support,” says Parker Paulsen of North Star Recovery & Wellness. “This clothing drive is about the community coming together.”
One of the participants in this effort is Troy Carlton, a staff member at The Other Side Academy, who knows firsthand the importance of community support in the recovery journey. “I was broken. I needed some help. I couldn’t figure out how to do things for myself,” Carlton shares, reflecting on his own struggles before becoming a staff member.
For four years, Carlton was a student at The Other Side Academy, a program that offers an alternative to long-term incarceration. He adds, “I came here with a sentence hanging over my head, so if I left, I knew where I was going back to prison.”
Carlton is now giving back to the community by helping with North Star’s clothing drive on Giving Tuesday. He knows how much community involvement means for those in recovery, and says, “We believe in second chances, not only for us but for everything you see around us.”
The clothing drive aims to collect items for recovery centers across the Wasatch Front. “We’re collecting clothing throughout the valley and distributing it to centers that are in need, not just our own, but other individual centers that will utilize it,” Paulsen explains.
With hundreds of items already donated, North Star hopes to make a significant difference in the lives of people working through recovery.
North Star Recovery & Wellness has eight drop-off locations, including Tax Hive in Orem, Club Paddock in American Fork, Renaissance Ranch in Draper, and more. The clothing drive will run from November 25 to December 16, 2024, with donations directly supporting individuals in local treatment centers.
The clothing drive runs from Nov. 25 – Dec. 16, 2024
Clothes can be dropped off at the following locations;
- Tax Hive, Orem
- Club Paddock, American Fork
- Renaissance Ranch, Draper
- Apex CRE, South Jordan
- Vega Media Studios, Salt Lake City
- Weber Recovery Center, Ogden
- The Other Side Academy Thrift Shop, Murray
- B-10 Capital, Farmington
