There is HOPE in Recovery Hearing Other Peoples Experiences.

We are a grassroots NPO that began in 2014 to help bridge schools with young people in sustained recovery from alcohol and drug addiction issues. They are alumni, or at least local to the area, and can speak in a relatable manner with the student-based population they are presenting to. They follow guidelines to create a unified and reliable presentation style for schools to depend on to address issues around substance use disorder and avoid substance misuse among students. All the while helping our teens and preteens recognize and understand it begins with underlying feelings. 

The organization became an NPO in 2017, at which time it grew to address adult audiences and began a Parent Program of people who had lost their children to overdoses to tell their family experiences - the grieving community and the recovery community speaking together. Both are a peer-peer approach to illicit connectivity within the community by speaking openly about issues that affect families of all walks of life. We found that through creating and hosting community events, alongside “The Black Poster Project”, people can begin to connect with their community in purposeful cause to address the ongoing opioid epidemic and mental health crisis we are currently facing. 

These events bring together collaborative efforts among town and county leaders, law enforcement, and local resources. We encourage food and refreshments and openness for local people to have a forum to create community action, discussions, and awareness. Relationship and community building around a common cause is key in addressing addiction (which stems from trauma and ACE's Adverse Childhood Experiences). Hence addressing the needs of the communities, we serve in Northern New Jersey and beyond.