NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. — A Tampa Bay area non-profit dedicated to helping those recover from drug addiction is expanding. 

For years, the Recovery Epicenter Foundation has helped with its peer-led recovery center— ‘The Catcher’s Mitt’— in Clearwater. They want to provide that same service in Pasco County.

“The answers are very satisfied, satisfied, neutral, dissatisfied, very dissatisfied or unsure.”

What You Need To Know

  • A new resource center dedicated to helping individuals overcome drug addiction is now open in Pasco County

  • 'The Outfield' is an extension of 'The Catcher's Mitt'- another recovery center located in Clearwater, operated by the Recovery Epicenter Foundation
  • Both centers help individuals seeking support who might not qualify for traditional medical services
  • Those with the non-profit say they hope to one day expand in Hernando, Hillsborough and Manatee counties in the future

Inside an office is a pathway toward drug recovery. And helping lead the way is peer support specialist Ashley Eberts with ‘The Outfield.’ The newest branch of the Recovery Epicenter Foundation.

“Now- my goal is to help other people get clean because life is wonderful without drugs,” said Eberts.

Eberts is on her own recovery journey, having battled addiction with opiates. It led to Eberts losing her children for a period of time.

“I had a choice, to either get clean and get my children back or lose my children and continue down that road,” said Eberts.

Help from the non-profit aided Eberts and others on the road to recovery.

“We provide them with all the recovery resources," says Teresa Mancuso, program director of The Catcher’s Mitt and The Outfield. "We really want to get them submerged in recovery so when they leave here, they have that network of people, right? Which is going to decrease their chance of relapse.”

‘The Outfield’ is now the second recovery center operated by the Recovery Epicenter Foundation. With a high demand for help in Pasco County playing a role.

“What we’re really striving to do is fill that gap," Mancuso said. "That gap of, if somebody does relapse and they’re at a sober home, instead of them returning to the streets or returning to a motel, they’re going to have somewhere safe to go where they have that little bit of time to recover in order to get back into their sober home and embark on their recovery journey.”

It’s also finding new meaning for people like Eberts. Being reunited with her children and going 8 years strong in sobriety.

“That was the happiest moment of my life," she says. "It compared to them being born, basically.”

Offering a second lease on life.

The grand opening of ‘The Outfield’ will be taking place Friday.

Mancuso says they hope to expand in Hernando, Hillsborough and Manatee counties in the future.