Heal a family, and everyone gets better together.
“That’s not just a saying” for The Family Effect, but a firmly held belief, said Cynthia D. Fryer, M.A., director of development and mission advancement for the Phoenix Center of Greenville. That’s because substance use disorder is a leading cause of family collapse and harm to children not just locally but nationwide.
“Usually, it’s a direct root cause for children to be removed from their homes due to neglect or abuse,” Fryer said, adding that at any given time, Greenville County has the highest number of children in the state who are in the South Carolina Department of Social Services foster care system.
The community can make a difference for those children and families through The Family Effect. It was established as a nonprofit organization in 1998 to support the work of the Phoenix Center, which helps more than 5,000 people each year through its research-based treatment, prevention and recovery services.
“We believe if you are working with someone in recovery, if they have the support system of their family, and you work with the family unit, the chances are they will remain in recovery longer,” Fryer said.
There are many ways to help, whether through monetary or in-kind donations or volunteering.
“We actually call our volunteers our family champions because they do so much,” Fryer said.
Volunteers of The Family Effect work with the Phoenix Center, its adolescent and outpatient services and the ECHO mobile drug education unit.
“They staff and do the education,” she said.
There are also numerous volunteer opportunities at Serenity Place, which provides residential treatment to pregnant women and young mothers recovering from substance abuse. It is one of the few publicly funded centers across the nation that allow children to enter residential services with Mom.
Volunteers provide child care while mothers attend recovery-support meetings, tutor women working to earn their GED, mentor and support them in employment goals, and lend “their expertise in improving skills and their self-esteem,” Fryer said.
“All of these programs and services provide opportunities for volunteers,” she said, adding that each volunteer must complete an application, get a background check, take a two-step tuberculosis test and go through an orientation.
To learn more about volunteering with The Family Effect, call 864-467-4757 or email thefamilyeffect@phoenixcenter.org. If you or someone you know needs treatment, call the Phoenix Center’s helpline at 864-467-3790.
