The Way of Love – A Reflection by Killian Noe

As we strive to embody what Martin Luther King Jr. called “Love-force”, welcoming individuals traumatized by homelessness, addiction, mental health challenges, racism, and other assaults on dignity, we become light houses shining in the darkness of our time. Embodying “the way of love” for our surrounding communities to witness is one significant way of confronting […]

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All Network Conversation highlights unique challenges and opportunities for Cafés through the pandemic

As we approach the beginning of our third year in the pandemic, the Recovery Café Network hosted an All Network Conversation: Surviving and Thriving in a Pandemic, on Feb. 16, to highlight what different Cafés have learned in the COVID-19 era, the challenges we share, and the opportunities ahead of us.  The panel included Café […]

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Creating a sense of home and community at Recovery Café Chicago

When Gilda Payton first met La Shaun Rickman, Founder/CEO of Recovery Café Chicago, she was heartbroken and navigating trauma. “My brother was killed in front of me,” she said. But after meeting Mrs. Rickman and joining the community, “…I was able to get to the next stage. It let me know that I’m not the […]

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Deepening community connection through a bilingual/bicultural peer support program

Longmont, Colorado, a high-elevation town with cold winters, was in need of a refuge: a space where people who experienced trauma, homelessness, substance use disorder, and other mental health challenges could gather and heal together. With Lisa Searchinger heading up the organization, Recovery Café Longmont was born, opening in 2019 and creating a warm haven […]

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Big changes for a small community: Recovery Café Orting Valley

Orting Valley is nestled between two big hills in Pierce County, Washington, tucked away from major interstates, with just about 8,000 people calling it home. “There’s no bus lines. There’s no apartment buildings,” said Anthony, the Administrative Resource Specialist for Recovery Café Orting Valley. “Mostly families and houses.” He notes that even the “pass-through” population […]

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From left: Kristy Laschober, Brandon Orr, and Stephanie Mendenhall. Photo provided by Recovery Café Medford.

How Recovery Café Medford used a podcast to reach community through the pandemic

Brandon Orr, Reclaiming Lives/Recovery Café Medford Manager, has that knack for talking. He is straightforward, laughs a lot, and in everything he says, he communicates compassion. “Brandon is very outspoken and compelling and people like to be around him,” said Executive Director of RC Medford, Stephanie Mendenhall.                        From left: Kristy Laschober, Stephanie Mendenhall, and […]

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