The Bay County Board of Commissioners on Oct. 21 approved a resolution honoring Pier 360 Recovery Alliance after the group received the 2025 Faces & Voices of Recovery "Recovery Community Organization of the Year" award.

The resolution, introduced during the petitions and communications portion of the meeting, says Pier 360 was selected from more than 175 organizations nationwide and received the award on June 10, 2025, in Washington, D.C. The board noted the group's work on stigma reduction, public awareness and recovery support across Bay County and surrounding counties.

Kyle Hancho, identified in the meeting as the operations manager for Pier 360 Recovery Alliance and a person in long-term recovery, told commissioners the organization is a 501(c)(3) recovery community organization. "One of the things that they most noted when they recognized us was the stigma reduction work that we did specifically in Bay County," Hancho said, and described the group's services as including recovery coach training, peer-support groups and community events that do not include alcohol or drugs. He said the organization has 15 staff and about 31 independent contractors.

A county official speaking on behalf of the board and the county executive offered the board's congratulations and noted the organization's role as a recipient of opioid settlement funds. The board approved the resolution by voice vote.

The resolution text entered on the record cites Pier 360's membership in the Association of Recovery Community Organizations network and praises its role strengthening recovery support systems in the region. The resolution extends the board's "sincere congratulations and gratitude for their exceptional contributions to the recovery community."