Parker County, TX – For the last several decades, we have lost more Americans of all ages, races, ethnicities, and backgrounds to substance use and mental health than nearly every other cause of death. In Texas, we have also seen a dramatic increase in overdose deaths among our teens and young adults. Across the United States, many organizations – like Unity Recovery – have been working in partnership with our communities to save lives, support long-term recovery, and increase the chances of individual health and wellness. For the 55 million Americans living in Recovery and the 60 million who are actively struggling with substance use and mental health, organizations like Unity are often the only connection to life saving supports, especially in rural areas. Given these realities, it is appalling that anyone would stand in the way or have opposition to helping save lives in Texas. However, that is exactly what the Weatherford Chamber of Commerce has decided to do by preventing Unity Recovery from sponsoring and participating in the 2023 Peach Festival due to a “lack of alignment with vision and family values”.
In every community that Unity operates in, we play an active and engaged role in every event and activity held in the community. For us, there is not Unity without the community, which is where our work and our passion thrives. That is why nearly 3 months ago, we knew it was the right decision to become the volunteer sponsor for the Peach Festival in Weatherford. We had plans to sell our Peached Iced Coffee from Unity Java, talk to people about hope and recovery should they want to know more, and given the sharp rise in overdoses around the state – especially among youth and young adults – had requested to give our naloxone for free to anyone who wanted it.
Imagine our surprise that after accepting our sponsorship in April, and with less than 30 days to go to the event, the Weatherford Chamber told us that they no longer wanted our support and involvement due to the perceived “lack of alignment with vision and family values”. Our values are simple – partner with people to improve their health and wellness, save lives, and educate our community about the resources that are available to them. Sounds like an easy set of values to get behind in our mind, after all, who doesn’t agree that saving lives is important? Well, apparently the Weatherford Chamber doesn’t. Or perhaps they do, but only if those lives are deemed valuable enough to their ideal version of society. For us, all people are valuable – those who are in recovery, those returning from incarceration, those living unhoused, those living with substance use and mental health concerns, and everyone else.
We will continue to lift up our values and mission to help make our community a safer and better place and we hope everyone else will to. While we may not be at Peach Festival this year due to the blatant stigma, bias, and discrimination of the Weatherford Chamber of Commerce, we will never leave our community in their greatest moment of need. We are saddened by the Weatherford Chamber’s decision and hope our community will help us to lift up the voices of those who are often silenced, whether you are in recovery, have lost someone to mental health or substance use, or just a caring person who believes the world can be a better place together.
To let the Weatherford Chamber of Commerce know that you disagree with their decision, please email them directly at info@weatherford-chamber.comor call them at 817-596-3801.
Media Inquiries:
Unity Recovery – contact@unityrecovery.org
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Appalled, disappointed, incredibly concerned for PWUD in and around the Weatherford area. Do better WCOC.
The stigma behind this disease must be Smashed. So sad to hear this. Thank you for all you do. We are having an art &crafts event. Big event. I’ll send the info you can possibly be part of our event to spread the word
Light and Love B