Recovery Court Cards
(Cleveland) - As the weather warms up, the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Recovery Court is reaching out to its clients with a cool treat.
Cleveland-based Pierre’s Ice Cream has donated coupons for 75 containers of ice cream to be distributed to the people on Judge Joan Synenberg’s docket.
“It’s hard to put into words how much we miss the people in Recovery Court,” says Judge Synenberg. “One of the keys to their recovery is being able to interact with our team, and we want them to know how much we care about each of them.”
Recovery Court is part of the Drug Court program, and it focuses on people who have a dual diagnoses of addiction and trauma. Judge Synenberg and her team currently meet with their clients by phone and videoconference, but it is not the same.
“Because of the pandemic, we can’t physically be with the people on our docket. So the Recovery Court team looks for ways to connect with our clients in other ways,” adds Judge Synenberg.
The handmade cards were created by members of Judge Synenberg’s family. When the people at Pierre’s heard that Recovery Court was planning to send out hand-written notes, they offered to add in some ice cream.
“We know people are struggling at this time,” says Pierre’s Matt Thornicroft. “Maybe a container of ice cream can help lift their spirits. We’re glad to help out in a small way.”
The ice cream coupons are included in the cards that are being mailed to clients on the Recovery Court docket.
“It’s great to see a local company offering to help our clients in recovery,” says Judge Synenberg. “It does so much for our clients' mental well-being, and it’s another step in helping to lessen the stigma of addiction.”