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Hopetown leader describes new Windham recovery center, workforce and AI training in open‑house pitch to commissioners
Summary
Hopetown founder Ted told Portage County commissioners the organization will open a renovated recovery community center at 9621 East Center Street in Windham, highlighted county support and described workforce and AI training partnerships designed to help people in recovery re-enter employment.
Ted, a leader of Hopetown, briefed the Portage County Board of Commissioners on a renovated recovery community center at 9621 East Center Street in Windham and invited commissioners to an open house scheduled for the following day.
Ted said Hopetown hired two community relations staff and renovated the old police department portion of the building into a large common space for meetings, events and services. He credited support from the Ohio Department of Behavioral Health and the Portage Mental Health and Recovery Board and told commissioners the county has provided $25,000 annually for each of the past three years.
"We've already proven through evidence, and studies that people have better outcomes with addiction in recovery housing," Ted said, describing recovery housing, peer supports and other on-site services. He listed three priority areas for Hopetown’s efforts: housing, transportation and employment, and described new workforce partnerships with Jobs and Family Services and Stark State to create internships and training programs.
Ted also described an initiative to provide AI readiness training to employers and jobseekers, saying the trainings are fully reimbursable to employers and that Hopetown is acting as a facilitator for an Ohio community-based AI academy. "We're working with local and state to help upscale Ohio's workforce," he said.
Hopetown's social-enterprise activities — including a program called Hope on Wheels — were presented as revenue streams that help the nonprofit sustain services and scale up workforce initiatives. Ted said the center will host meetings, provide access to space with key-code entry for some groups, and offer evening and weekend programming.
Commissioners thanked Ted and the Hopetown team for their work. Ted provided the meeting address and logistics, noting the center is at the base of Windham’s water tower and that multiple doors will be unlocked for the open house.
