By Dana Bainbridge Andre Ellison was the kind of guy who could light up a room with his joy and enthusiasm for friends, music, and art. Andre always wore a crisp, stylish suit and often had a guitar in his hands. His contribution to Recovery Café San Jose was beyond measure, as a friend, a […]
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As we strive to embody unconditional love, 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 systemic racism. Our larger culture […]
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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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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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In each of the Cafés that make up the Recovery Café Network we seek to acknowledge the various holidays and traditions of our Members. This week we are celebrating Christmas. In our Seattle Cafés we celebrate Christmas by decorating a freshly-cut tree with lights and ornaments, serving delicious meals, giving away warm, winter coats, gloves, […]
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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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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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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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December 24, 2020 Dear Recovery Café communities, As some of you know, my daughter, Phoebe, had a baby in November and my daughter, Kietrie, is expecting a baby in February. So this Christmas season I have found myself thinking, more than usual, about Mother Mary’s experience of giving birth to Jesus. What can we learn […]
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Recently, my father emailed me a photo of my great grandfather Edgar Hawley from the mid-1940s. On my great grandfather’s lap are my two aunts (my father was not yet born). In my dad’s email, he remembered that Edgar would often take him on adventures in his Jeep around Yuma, Arizona. As I’ve reflected on […]
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