A Gaston County church has purchased what they hope will be one of the largest in-house substance treatment facilities in the state.
City Church wants to turn an eyesore in Gastonia into a 72-bed unit.
They took Gaston County reporter Ken Lemon inside Heritage Oaks Assisted Living Center, which they are certain is already being used by people in crisis.
Tracy Cox with the church said she understands the people drawn here.
“I’ve actually stayed in buildings like this,” said Cox.
Cox explained that she had a dependency on illegal drugs for 12 years.
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“In addiction, you lose even being a human being,” Cox said.
Now she is part of the team hoping to turn the building into a 72-bed facility for substance abuse treatment.
“If we don’t have that to offer them, then they just give up hope,” said Cox.
According to the state Department of Health and Human Services, Gaston County had 149 opioid overdoses reported to the ER in the first 10 months of 2024.