In the Tuesday, Jan. 23, edition of the Butler Eagle, we learned about a new plan for a vacant building in downtown Butler, one that will offer hope for people dealing with addiction.

In October, the Nonprofit Development Corporation, or NDC, purchased the former home of the Grace Youth and Family Foundation for $375,000 through bankruptcy court. The building, located on Center Avenue, is going to be used as a drug and alcohol addiction recovery center. The NDC is acting as a middleman for Butler County Human Services, which will operate the center.

The building will be used for programs such as education and job training for people who have completed a drug or alcohol addiction treatment program and are in recovery.

“They’re coming here to do activities together, socialize, maybe do some ongoing education and job programs,” said Brandon Savochka, director of Butler County Human Services.

Togetherness is an essential part of the center, and it’s important for recovery. A 2016 study in the Journal of Community Psychology found that a sense of community helped predict success among people living in a recovery house, for example.

This latest project is another case of the NDC collaborating with other organizations and helping to strengthen the community. The NDC currently owns 18 properties in the county, from residential buildings to the Donut Connection on Center Avenue.

The Donut Connection, which the NDC purchased in 2021, offers employment for people with developmental disabilities, and is an example of the ways a nonprofit organization can benefit both a specific group of people and the community as a whole.

Christopher Lunn, the executive director of the NDC, said the group’s mission is to put properties into service. With the Grace Youth and Family Foundation building vacant for more than a year, that is exactly what is going to happen in this case.

It happened that the building is in an ideal location and in good enough condition to be put back in service, possibly as early as April or May. It’s going to fulfill an important purpose and it’s good to see this project move forward.

— JK