PERU — The Miami County YMCA is partnering with a nonprofit group to offer fitness services to residents who are in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction.

Intrepid Phoenix was founded in 2017 in LaPorte to provide a wholistic fitness approach to addiction, including improving mental, emotional and physical health.

Since that time, the program has grown and now operates in LaPorte, Michigan City, Valparaiso, Knox, Winamac, Plymouth, Rochester and Terre Haute.

Now, the nonprofit will be partnering with the YMCA in Peru to provide fitness programs that aim to lower relapse rates and increase members’ chance of recovery.

According to its website, the program combines the “fellowship and unity of a 12 Step Program with a wholistic approach to fitness in the recovery process.”

“By fostering a supportive community of like-minded people supporting each other, and supplementing other recovery programs, we increase the rates of abstinence and lower the rates of relapse,” the nonprofit said.

Founder Larry Smith said their program will use fitness and recreation programming already offered at the Y to expand its recovery services in Peru.

YMCA Executive Director Mark Demchak said Intrepid Phoenix is a perfect fit with their organization, which opened a new facility in March offering more workout and pool space and more room for classes and indoor sports.

“Our missions are congruent,” Demchak said in a release. “We exist to assist others in reaching their God given potential, especially when physical fitness and health can be in balance with mental and spiritual fitness.”

The Intrepid Phoenix program is now open to residents of Miami County who are in recovery from drug or alcohol addiction and are committed to long-term sobriety.