FIRST CARES
ARC INSPIRE
Year
2025-2026
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FIRST Center Awarded $100,000 from ARC INSPIRE Initiative to Expand Recovery-to-Work Supports
Huntingdon, PA – September 23, 2025
The Families Involved in Recovery, Support, and Transformation (FIRST) Center is proud to announce that it has been awarded $100,000 from the Appalachian Regional Commission’s (ARC) INSPIRE Initiative. This funding will support the Community Access to Recovery Employment Supports (CARES) Project, expanding recovery-to-work opportunities across Huntingdon, Mifflin, Juniata, Bedford, and Fulton counties.
The FIRST Center has long been a flame of hope for so many people in recovery, offering family support, workforce readiness resources, and recovery-friendly community programs. With this new investment, the Center will strengthen pathways to employment and wellness, ensuring that individuals in recovery have the tools, training, and support they need to thrive.
“We are honored to receive this funding from ARC,” said Karen Rush, Director of the FIRST Center. “This award allows us to expand vital recovery and employment resources in rural communities. Our goal is to continue being a beacon of hope—helping individuals in recovery rebuild their lives, support their families, and contribute to stronger, healthier communities.”
Recovery services are vital to the health and stability of Central Pennsylvania. By empowering individuals in recovery, the FIRST Center helps build stronger families, safer communities, and a more resilient local economy.
About the ARC INSPIRE Initiative
The Appalachian Regional Commission’s Investments Supporting Partnerships in Recovery Ecosystems (INSPIRE) Initiative addresses the substance use disorder crisis by creating recovery-to-work pipelines. Since 2021, INSPIRE has invested more than $65 million in projects across 13 Appalachian states, preparing over 18,000 individuals for new job opportunities.
About the FIRST Center
The FIRST Center, based in Huntingdon, PA, is a Recovery Community Organization dedicated to supporting families of those recovering from visible and invisible disabilities. The Center sponsors the Rural Recovery Alliance, a coalition of organizations, providers, families, and allies across five counties. Together, they share the message that recovery is possible, better together, and it works.
Partnership Follow-Up Participation in the PA 211 and PA Navigate Community Meeting, May 12, 2026, provided an important opportunity to strengthen relationships with regional partners and identify shared priorities for future collaboration. The meeting, sponsored by Juniata College through a HRSA-supported effort, focused on improving public awareness of community resources and building a more integrated system of care in Huntingdon County. Discussions throughout the meeting confirmed that the region does not necessarily lack services; rather, it faces challenges related to provider capacity, staffing strain, and limited public awareness of the resources that already exist. PA 211 and PA Navigate described their systems as complementary approaches operating under a shared “no wrong door” framework. Their anticipated integration in the fall presents a promising opportunity to streamline provider participation and strengthen visibility across platforms. This aligns closely with the goals of Project First CARES, which is focused on improving the connection between recovery supports and employment opportunities. During the meeting, Project First CARES shared information about its current survey and its broader implementation strategy, which emphasizes peer support, systems navigation, and employment stabilization for individuals in recovery. Follow-up conversations, especially with PA 211 and their involvement in ARC INSPIRE, highlighted meaningful opportunities for partnership around the use of lived-experience professionals to reach individuals and families more effectively. These discussions reinforced the importance of personal connection as a complement to information systems. While directories and referral platforms are essential, many people still need trusted guidance to navigate complex service systems, maintain recovery, and achieve employment stability. Project First CARES is well positioned to contribute this person- centered component through community-based recovery employment peer support specialists and certified recovery specialists working in partnership with workforce and service providers. Looking ahead, this meeting opened the door to several potential collaboration pathways, including data-sharing around provider participation and social determinants of health, stronger engagement with Juniata College and its students, expanded coordination with United Way and regional counties, and continued advocacy for clearer recovery-focused resource access through both PA 211 and PA Navigate. The conversation also reinforced the value of developing county-level profiles to support strategic planning and resource alignment. These opportunities position Project First CARES to deepen partnerships, contribute practical implementation expertise, and help build a stronger regional recovery and support ecosystem.
