After 45 years, Hodac will no longer be able to help addicts and crime victims

The loss of a million dollars in funding in recent years means Hodac Inc. will be closing in September.

The Warner Robins-based program has helped crime victims and those struggling with alcohol and drug addictions for 45 years.

“This was a heart wrenching, incredibly difficult decision for our board of directors to make,” board chairman Arthur Head said in a letter announcing the pending closure.

Head cited the 2014 closing of Gateway Cottage, a former home for mothers recovering from substance abuse and their children as evidence of their struggle to stay afloat financially.

Hodac also recently lost funding for a statewide call center.

“In the end, we were left with no other choice, and our main concern is the legacy of such a wonderful agency and closing down in a responsible, ethical and dignified manner,” Head said.

Executive Director Sherri Peavy said funding streams have diverted to other programs and priorities. Fund raising has become “exceedingly difficult,” she said

Hodac provided alcohol and drug prevention programs in Houston, Peach and Crawford counties and staffed the call center to help anyone in Georgia.

“We are grateful for the support we have received from the community and our funders over all these years,” Peavy said in the letter. “Hodac has a history of service and commitment to the community that we can all be proud of.”

Next month, Hodac will begin transitioning out of its programs and services before closing in September.

This story was originally published July 27, 2017 at 9:16 AM with the headline "After 45 years, Hodac will no longer be able to help addicts and crime victims."