We 'Step Up for Recovery' Together: PEER Services launches fourth annual charity stair climb

Evanston, IL - October 2018

PEER Services will hold their annual charity stair climb on Sunday, October 21st in Evanston's Orrington Plaza (1603 Orrington Ave). The climb, called Step Up for Recovery, shows support for those living in recovery and raises treatment scholarships for low-income teens and adults who struggle with substance use disorders.

Over 20 million Americans have substance use disorders, but only 11% of them receive the treatment they need. Moreover, the recent opioid epidemic has continued to affect teens and adults across the country. According to the 2017 National Survey, about 886,000 people aged 12 or older reported having used heroin in the past year, while about 11.1 million people aged 12 or older had misused prescription pain relievers in the past year. Despite the prevalence of substance use disorders, there remains a significant gap between need and how many people actually receive treatment services.

Step Up for Recovery confronts the financial and stigma-related barriers to treatment. It is an initiative to help individuals towards healing and to show that recovery is possible, though often a difficult journey-analogous to the stair climb.

Over 150 participants will scale the 20-story Orrington Plaza to demonstrate their dedication to #ClimbForChange this fall. Registration is open now at http://bit.ly/recover18 and onsite registrations start at 8am on Sunday, 10/21. Breakfast and coffee will be provided for all Step Up participants.

PEER Services has been the safety-net, nonprofit substance abuse treatment provider in northern Cook County for over 42 years. The mission of PEER is to prevent and treat the problems that substance abuse causes individuals, families and our communities. PEER is committed to providing high-quality services to all in need, regardless of anyone's ability to pay. They have organized Step Up for Recovery every year since 2015 to bring together the community. They continue to build partnerships with local schools, hospitals, and other organizations to address the changing health landscape.

If you would like more information about Step Up for Recovery or PEER Services, please contact Jenny Phan, Director of Development at jphan@peerservices.org.