MCC Annual Fundraiser at Last Chance Cafe

Mountaintop Cares Coalition held its annual fundraiser at the Last Chance Cafe in Tannersville, last Friday evening. Among those on hand were (left to right) MCC founder and president Jonathan Gross, Greene County sheriff Pete Kusminsky, MCC associate director Stephanie Schleuderer and MCC executive director Patrick Magee. 

TANNERSVILLE - In the realest of ways, the Mountaintop Cares Coalition is a trusted place to find seemingly lost dreams and direction in the formidable fight against alcoholism and substance abuse.

The non-profit group held a fundraising event, last Friday evening, drawing a compassionate crowd to the Last Chance Cafe in Tannersville.

Poignant music was shared by the local Songbirds chorale, singing, “you’re in the arms of the angels, may you find some comfort here.”

Listeners were reminded that the compelling song, made famous by Sarah Mclachlan, is a tribute to a fellow musician lost to a heroin overdose.

A film was shown about the personal road to recovery, prompting MCC founder and president Jonathan Gross to say, “you have no idea, the miracles that can happen. We’ve seen it.

“It’s a privilege to do what we do and a privilege to get to know the people who support us in the struggle,” Gross said.

In an interview, Gross talked about the formation and ultimate mission of the MCC, starting in 2017 with a public forum at the venerable Centre Church in the town of Windham.

“We had a panel of mental health experts and law enforcement officials,” Gross said. “We explained narcan training [a life-saving aid to drug overdose] and the reasons behind what we were doing.

“Out of that came the initial volunteers that became the Mountaintop Cares Coalition. Now we have a staff and a budget,” he said.

Joined by an executive director and an associate director, “we have two certified peer recovery advocates, a small but mighty staff,” Gross says.

Going further back, Gross detailed the inspiration for the first forum, saying he knew families that had children suffering, deciding, “we needed to do something to fill in the gap where government could not go.

“There was a tremendous need. This was the height of the opioid crisis,” Gross said, emphasizing Greene County was and is deeply impacted.

“Greene County, statistically, has the fourth highest overdose rate of all counties in the State, outside New York City,” he continued.

“Isolation, loneliness and addiction are still present on the mountaintop. Deaths are down [due in large part to the social acceptance of narcan availability and law enforcement cooperation] but addiction is not.”

MCC exists to pierce the heart and soul of the matter. “We have recovery coaches who meet people where they are,” Gross explained.

“If someone doesn’t know where to turn, come to us. We help navigate the system to recovery and help integrate you back into the community.

“If you come to us, we will never abandon you. We will help you find the services you need. We have people committed to seeing this through.”

Services are provided without charge, allowing individuals to focus fully on recovery. “This is not a handout. It is a hand up,” Gross said.

MCC recovery coach Mary Ellen Holtzman said, “if someone calls or if I bump into someone who wants to talk about recovery, I meet them wherever they are; the street, a tent, anywhere good for them.

“We sit and talk. You don’t have to feel embarrassed or ashamed. We do not make you or force you to do anything,” Holtzman said.

“We ask what you would like and give you choices. There are a hundred types of recovery methods. There is no reason not to come to us.

“When I talk with someone, I say to each of them, ‘Take a chance on improving your health. Your relationships. Your life,’” Holtzman said.

MCC is located at 52 North Lake Road in Haines Falls. Their 24/7 hotline is (518) 560-4278. “We don’t turn anyone away,” Holtzman said.