Vermont-bred jam band Phish are giving back to their community in the form of frontman Trey Anastasio's pledge to open a substance abuse treatment facility in the rural community of Ludlow, VT.
A recovering opiate addict himself, Anastasio will use donations from his Divided Sky Fund — earned from 2020's eight-week virtual Twitch-hosted residency at New York's Beacon Theatre — to fund the new centre.
Thanks to fans' donations of $1.2 million USD, the Ascension Recovery Services-directed centre is set to open later this year, with a "focus on delivering quality care and compassionate treatment for those suffering from alcoholism and addiction."
"Like so many people in America and so many in Vermont, I became addicted to opiates," Anastasio wrote in a release. "I was extremely lucky to have access to care, and I know how important it is to be part of a recovery community. I'm grateful that we can help provide that opportunity for others."
He added: "Substance use disorders affect people from all walks of life, and the problem is intimately linked with isolation — whether that's isolation due to the pandemic or for any other reason. The Beacon Jams helped us find a way to connect people and get this project off the ground. To be able to do that together during this difficult year touches my heart…"
The Ludlow-based facility, which has yet to named, will serve people from all income levels and aims to provide job training, education services and more. The Divided Sky Fund is still accepting donations to further support the financial needs of the centre.
A recovering opiate addict himself, Anastasio will use donations from his Divided Sky Fund — earned from 2020's eight-week virtual Twitch-hosted residency at New York's Beacon Theatre — to fund the new centre.
Thanks to fans' donations of $1.2 million USD, the Ascension Recovery Services-directed centre is set to open later this year, with a "focus on delivering quality care and compassionate treatment for those suffering from alcoholism and addiction."
"Like so many people in America and so many in Vermont, I became addicted to opiates," Anastasio wrote in a release. "I was extremely lucky to have access to care, and I know how important it is to be part of a recovery community. I'm grateful that we can help provide that opportunity for others."
He added: "Substance use disorders affect people from all walks of life, and the problem is intimately linked with isolation — whether that's isolation due to the pandemic or for any other reason. The Beacon Jams helped us find a way to connect people and get this project off the ground. To be able to do that together during this difficult year touches my heart…"
The Ludlow-based facility, which has yet to named, will serve people from all income levels and aims to provide job training, education services and more. The Divided Sky Fund is still accepting donations to further support the financial needs of the centre.
