DSC_0009-KnottHINDMAN – Substance abuse addiction can be overcome.

The UNITE Hope Wall – on display in the Knott County Judicial Center through Friday, January 31 – celebrates a person’s ability to overcome an addiction and gives others struggling through a loved one’s addiction hope to reclaim their lives.

“It’s so wonderful to visually see these success stories,” said Judge Kim Childers, of the 36th Judicial Circuit. “I encourage everyone to come out and look at the wall and enjoy these life-changing stories. These pictures represent real individuals and families. It will encourage you.”

Unveiled last August, the Hope Wall demonstrates that addiction has no boundaries; all walks of life are affected. Approximately 150 individuals who are now in recovery and living clean and sober lives are pictured.”

“We hear so many stories about the negative outcomes from substance abuse – families torn apart; lives lost to drug overdoses,” said Dale Richardson, Knott County sheriff. “You can’t help but be touched by the faces and stories of the people pictured on this wall. If the Hope Wall will inspire even a few people to seek treatment, or provide encouragement to those in treatment or recovery, it will have made a tremendous impact.”

“A majority of people featured on the Hope Wall have received a UNITE Treatment Voucher to help them overcome a substance abuse addiction,” noted Dan Smoot, UNITE president/CEO. “These are people who may have otherwise continued down a destructive path of drugs.”

“More than 3,300 people – including 106 Knott County residents – have entered a substance abuse treatment program using a UNITE voucher since the initiative began in 2005,” Smoot said. “These individuals have been given an opportunity to reclaim their lives.”

Treatment vouchers for short-term or long-term residential treatment are available to low-income residents of the 32 counties served by UNITE across southern and eastern Kentucky. For more information call UNITE’s Treatment Help-Line at 1-866-908-6483.

Anyone who has been in recovery for at least 18 months is eligible to be featured on the wall.