Western Mass Recovery Learning Community

Our Mission: The Western Massachusetts Recovery Learning Community (RLC) supports healing and empowerment for our broader communities and people who have been impacted by psychiatric diagnosis, trauma, extreme states, homelessness, addiction and other life-interrupting challenges through:

• Peer-to-peer support & genuine human relationships
• Alternative healing practices
• Learning opportunities
• Advocacy

Essential to our work is recognizing and undoing systemic injustices such as racism, sexism, transphobia and psychiatric oppression.

What we offer: The RLC was 'born' in 2007 after years of visioning and advocacy by people who have first-hand experiences in the various systems and communities intended to support people who are struggling.

We offer resource centers (Holyoke, Springfield, Greenfield, and soon to be back in Pittsfield), one of only about two dozen peer respites in the country (Northampton), a peer support line, yoga and acupuncture, bridging support for people returning to the community after a hospitalization, and a variety of other groups (Hearing Voices, Alternatives to Suicide, etc.) and meetings.   We also offer trainings and community events with internationally recognized speakers, film screenings and more. 

Our current priorities: There are so many things we hope to accomplish. For the purpose of this fundraising drive, however, our priorities include:

1. Homelessness and food pantry supplies: Our Springfield (Bowen) Center (located at 235 Chestnut Street)! But, as we approach the winter, we also are reminded just how many people in our community come through the Springfield Center who are living without a home or enough food to eat.

We've already got refrigerators and shelving. Now we just need the money to do some finishing electrical work and stock up!

Meanwhile, we need to stock up on winter supplies for people experiencing homelessness across the region. Typically, we try to have hand and feet warmers, gloves, socks, emergency tents, blankets and more on hand for people who need them.
 
2. Supporting our community to create educational materials: Our community aims to change the world, and that means getting information, our work and our stories out there. We've got many great projects running right now to this end, and immersed in the editing and production phases of two new films, as well as the creation of a library of short videos on many critical topics from genetics to racism in the mental health system and beyond.

Unfortunately, this is an area where we rarely receive any direct funding, and so any help counts big!

Learn more about our existing films HERE!!!

3. Bringing supports to the Turners Falls area: We recently secured some funds to begin to be able to offer support groups and other resources in the Turner's Falls area, but are in need of additional help to really have our community take root in that area!

4. Setting up space in Pittsfield: Last year around this time, we had to close our Pittsfield-based center due to a funding cut. With funds now restored, we are eager to move forward and hopefully end up stronger than ever before. We're still looking for the right new space for us, but will need lots of community support to get it up and running (hopefully by early 2018!).