DUBLIN, Ga. — People in Laurens County who are battling substance abuse now have a place to go. It's called RISE UP, which stands for Recovering In a Supportive Environment Utilizing Peers.
Christopher Voltolino found his way to RISE UP before it formally opened last Thursday.
"I was very, very, very, heavy into drugs, like I was an intravenous heroin addict," Voltolino said.
He says drugs moved him to New York, where he hit his lowest point in life.
"Gutter level homelessness. Like I would be the homeless guy on the bus other homeless people would move away from because I smelled so bad," Voltolino said.
He says his addictions brought him even farther away from home.
"Wrong choices and stuff brought me down to Georgia. I got in trouble and that's what ended me up in jail in Chatham County," Voltolino said.
Now he says he has a new shot at life by way of RISE UP -- a peer-driven center for people battling substance abuse.
"We are a safe sober environment for our community to come and hang out," said program lead Pamela Ranke.
Ranke added that since RISE UP opened its doors, the response has been overwhelming.
"We are meeting people from all over. We've met tons of people, even from out of state," Ranke said.
People can use the center's gym, coffee shop, game room and more for free.
"We do something called all recovery meeting, so that means it does not matter if you are part of 12 Step, AA, NA or faith-based, you are welcome here," Ranke said.
The center was made possible by the Community Service Board of Middle Georgia, which gives people like Voltolino a chance to focus on his family.
"If I don't stay clean, I can't be anything for my daughter. God put where I am for a reason, he wanted to slow me down. At least I get to video chat and talk with my daughter every day," he said.
Funding for RISE UP came from the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities. It was more than $300,000 according to The Community Service Board of Middle Georgia.