An outpour of generosity recently occurred in Covington as locals donated supplies to benefit those in need. Heart strings were tugged as the community pulled together to make local organization Heart of Newton’s first Heart in Action drive happen from Nov. 1-30. 

Haley Sherlock, founder of Heart of Newton, started this drive to help benefit the Women Initiating New Growth (WINGS) program at Viewpoint Health in Covington. 

WINGS is a program that helps serve women who are struggling with opioid misuse. It is a free program where women are housed and treated with the end goal of recovery. 

Overall, the drive collected a range of supplies from hygiene products to notebooks to blankets and jackets. 

“A lot of times, for people coming into recovery, they don’t really have much,” Sherlock said. “And what they did have, they left it all behind to receive treatment.” 

There were three active participants for supplies drop-off: Alcovy Fitness, Highland Community Church and The Depot Sports Bar. Each of these locations took in donations for the drive to go towards those in need. 

Along with Viewpoint Health, Heart of Newton also collaborated with Ready or Not Ministries and Repairers of the Breach to help get these supplies to those in need, and for women specifically, there is a great need. 

“A lot of times, women are also mothers,” Sherlock said. “They are also caretakers. So they may be taking care of their grandma or their mother, but they are also struggling with substance misuse. So, a lot of the time, it is hard to be able to take a break from taking care of others, so they can begin taking care of themselves. 

I see that as the biggest barrier, sometimes, to women gaining access to treatment because they just feel like they can’t leave behind their children or family in order to get well.” 

However, Heart of Newton’s services do not end with those struggling with substance misuse and seeking treatment. They also extend their services to the unhoused around Newton. 

Heart of Newton will be holding an outreach day to go out to the people in the encampments in the woods in mid-December. People who are interested in volunteering can reach out to Heart of Newton on Facebook for more information. 

A big barrier, Sherlock said, that Heart of Newton is trying to help with for those who struggle with substance misuse is unemployment. Part of the process of the WINGS program is to help women in the program find local employment opportunities. 

Heart of Newton is also looking for community members who are business owners who are willing to be second-chance employers. Sherlock said that Heart of Newton is willing to come in to provide the education to any employers willing to speak with them on what it looks like to employ people in recovery. This way, employers would feel equipped and ready to support someone who is reentering society. 

Sherlock said that the Heart in Action drive was successful in getting more support from the community for those in recovery, and there is no way they would not continue to do it in the future. She has hopes that they will either do it earlier in the year every year or even twice a year, but she will not know until after their upcoming board meeting. 

Until then, those who would like to contribute in any way to Heart of Newton can keep a lookout on Facebook for any updates, or can send an email to haley.newtonco.recovers@gmail.com for more information. 

“Our community really came together for this, all for the sake of meeting people right where they’re at and providing hope and making a difference,” Sherlock said.