NORWICH ― On Wednesday, The Turning Point of Chenango County, located at 24 East Main Street in Norwich, received a "Love Our Community" donation from Sidney Federal Credit Union (SFCU).

The $300 donation was presented by SFCU Member Service Representative 2 Lisa Grant and SFCU Virtual Branch Specialist 2 Kori Gage.

Each month, SFCU chooses a nonprofit organization within the counties they serve to receive a donation. This month, they chose to donate to FORDO, as multiple employees had a personal connection to the work they do.

Turning Point Program Manager Dana Nightingale said the donation will help them to provide programs to their members.

"This is amazing that you guys chose us, and we’re so, so grateful and thankful, and this just means so much to us," said Nightingale. "Having something like this helps us to do more programs and do other things with the members ... This is amazing for our center and the community."

As a 401k nonprofit, Nightingale explained that they have a limited budget that allows for the purchase of a certain amount of supplies, so the organization must rely on grants and donations to provide programs and events for the community.

The Turning Point of Chenango County is under the umbrella of Friends of Recovery Dedicated to Others (FORDO), and aims to help individuals recover from addiction through advocacy, education, and peer support.

"We offer peer recovery services. So it’s set up like we’re not a counselor, we’re not a friend, we’re in between. So that’s kind of like what a peer is, we’re just somebody who has lived experience, but we’ve just been sober a little bit longer. So we offer a lot of peer-based recovery stuff, like peer coaching and stuff like that. So that's what this is all about," Nightingale explained.

She said the center sees about 10 to 15 individuals a day, who can stop by any time from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday. Their aim is to provide a safe and sober space for individuals to spend time and receive assistance. Visitors can hang out in the center, cook food in their kitchen, or utilize their shower program.

The organization also hosts mutual aid support group meetings Monday through Saturday, as well as various programs both for the community at large and individuals in recovery, such as a Bible study, creative expression therapy, Wellness Wednesday, movie and game nights, holiday celebrations, and more.

More information and a full schedule of monthly events and programs can be found on The Turning Point of Chenango County, FORDO Facebook page.

SFCU is a full-service, federally-chartered credit union providing a range of financial services for its members, headquarted in Sidney. It operates in all or parts of 14 counties in New York State.