Amber Govan had to momentarily collect herself before speaking Friday, and no one could have blamed her.
The last eight years of Govan’s life have been poured into Carter’s Crew, a nonprofit charity named after her son to serve as a barrier between at-risk children and the ever-present threats of drug addiction and violence. For Govan, who grew up in adverse conditions herself, Carter’s Crew was nothing short of the refuge she wished she had when she was growing up. From a tiny building on Little Rock’s 12th Street, Govan toiled to provide after-school opportunities and drug abuse education to young people throughout Little Rock.
On Friday, Govan could see the first-hand results of all those hours invested in her community. A groundbreaking ceremony was held at 6900 Pecan Ave in Little Rock for Carter’s Crew Youth Success Center, signaling the start of what will become a 10-acre gathering space for community events, violence and drug-prevention workshops, family nights and more. The new space is provided via a $3.8 million award from the Arkansas Opioid Recovery Partnership (AORP).
“I had to write down my thoughts, because it’s been an emotional week for me,” said Govan, who added that the new center will be for “the teenager who is just a bad decision away from changing the course of their life forever, the young person struggling with addiction, grief, trauma, anger and hopelessness. The family trying to hold everything together while feeling like they’re falling apart. The parent who simply needs somebody to help them navigate the challenges they are going through. They are the reason that we are here.”…