Release from The Thrasher Group:
BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. – A new program aimed at providing transportation to recovering addicts has received two vehicle donations from The Thrasher Group.
The program, Rides to Recovery, will act as a free car service to help those in recovery get back on their feet.
The program is funded through the Appalachian Regional Commission, with plans to pilot the program in the Huntington area. The principle of Rides to Recovery is based on data showing that access to reliable transportation is one of the biggest hurdles recovering addicts face when trying to find employment. Whether because of a lost license, financial instability, or a lack of access to public transportation, without a way to consistently get to and from work, it’s nearly impossible to hold a job.
“When people seeking work are unable to secure stable employment, it hurts individuals, families, and the entire state,” said Chad Riley, CEO of The Thrasher Group. “It was important to us at Thrasher to do our part towards solving this problem. We wanted to make the prospect of finding a job easier for those who need it most, to help West Virginia’s families and the state’s business community.”
Thrasher donated a Chevy Suburban and Dodge Durango to help make that happen. The vehicles will be used by the Good News Mountaineer Garage, a Rides to Recovery partner, to provide a new avenue that fills that transportation gap. The Garage has been in operation since 1999 providing donated vehicles to those in need. Now, they’re tweaking that model to serve Rides to Recovery, which will have drivers pick up and drop off members of the program to get them to work.
“Thrasher’s mission has always been to care for the communities where we live and work,” said Riley. “Our state, and Huntington in particular, has suffered greatly in the opioid crisis, and we wanted to make this small gesture to give back to a community that means so much to us.”
— The Thrasher Group was established in 1983 by a young entrepreneur and engineer, Woody Thrasher, and his father. The duo set out to create a civil engineering firm rooted in serving the state’s communities, growing local infrastructure, and giving young, talented West Virginians a place to thrive. Since that time, Thrasher has grown into West Virginia’s largest privately-owned engineering, architecture, environmental, and field services consulting firm and an industry leader in the Mid-Atlantic region.
