Perryopolis-based treatment center to host free turkey giveaway Friday

Staff at MedMark Treatment Center also want the community-outreach event to help educate the public about the stigmas of opioid addiction and treatment.

By MATT PETRAS
For the MVI

MedMark Treatment Centers in Perryopolis will facilitate a turkey drive from noon to 2 p.m. Friday to assist families in need and educate the community about its often- stigmatized opioid addiction treatment.

Any family who needs a turkey can arrive at the treatment center, located at 3591 Pittsburgh St., to receive one so long as supplies last. Earlier this week, Bujanowski Towing donated 420 boxes of Stove Top stuffing that will also be distributed.

The center, still taking donations, hopes to have 50 to 75 turkeys for the drive and has also been collecting donations of nonperishable food items. It will also have vouchers for families who show up once they’ve run out of turkeys to get one on a different day.

“This is our very first turkey drive and we want it to be a success,” said facility Director Rita Johnson.

In years’ past, the center did a turkey drive internally. Because of the government shutdown, which halted payments for services such as SNAP, the group decided to open it to the public.

“Why not give back to the community?” Johnson said.

Local churches and people in the community have responded positively, according to Johnson.

“A lot of people when I mentioned it were excited and they started bringing food in… the engagement was great,” Johnson said. “A lot of people just like helping people.”

During the two hours of the drive, the center hopes to engage with the community and help people better understand what it offers. Using a combination of counseling, medication, educational programming and more, MedMark Treatment Centers in Perryopolis helps patients suffering from addiction to opioids such as fentanyl, oxycodone and heroin. Oftentimes, those suffering from opioid addiction don’t seek treatment because of shame or lack of encouragement and support from their community.

“With the services we provide, there’s often a stigma, and we want to eliminate that stigma,” Johnson said.

The center encourages its patients to foster relationships with positive members of their families but also endeavors to be there for them. The turkey drive event allows the center to show this to the community.

“A lot of people say that we’re like family here,” Johnson said. “We’re like their parents or Grandma. They really connect with us, and we treat them that way.”