Recovery Café DC Graduates to Full Membership

Recovery Café DC (RCDC) located in Washington, D.C. began its journey with the Recovery Café Network in 2018 as part of our third cohort. As an Emerging Member, RCDC’s leadership team received support, mentorship, materials, and facilitated learning experiences to create a recovery community.

When asked about what stands out as most valuable from her experience through the Emerging Member journey, Founder and Chief Executive Officer Jacqueline Conerly reflected on the training and access to the Network: “Whatever it was that we needed–employee manual, accounting manual, AGENCY–being able to have that access to the Network for all the things we needed to launch and keep it going.”

For Jacqueline, support looks like being able to access a team that is ready with resources: “being able to pick up the phone or send an email or send that text to the Network is so valuable.”

RCDC has worked hard to fully embrace the Recovery Café Model. Upon entering its doors, you know distinctly that you are in a place of love and healing.

Founder and Director of Programs, Donald Conerly, is the epitome of radical hospitality with a boisterous welcome and ready hug for each person as they walk through the door. His contagious energy is a model for all the Members there who have now also leaned into this community that is a place of shared contribution and commitment. Their team nurtures loving accountability through Recovery Circles, encourages growth by supporting Member Leaders, and actively works to end systemic racism and socioeconomic inequality so every person can thrive. This healing community, located in the southeast neighborhood of DC that is plagued with many challenges like poverty, homelessness, gun violence, drug use, prostitution, generational trauma, and food apartheid, is a safe haven for many.

Emerging to Full Member

All of this was evident in RCDC’s evaluation to become a Full Member Café, which is status granted to Cafés that have fully embraced the Model with fidelity following their training as an Emerging Member. “That we’ve internalized the Model, that’s a good feeling,” says Jacqueline.

Being a Full Member Café gives a meaningful stamp of confidence to RCDC: “Being able to say that we are a Full Member of a nationwide network that’s tried and true and established…to me that’s the most important thing.” As Jacqueline explains the Network of Cafés who are embarking on the journey to build recovery communities: “It’s just a joy to be a part of this thing.” She spoke of the recent in person gathering of Cafés at Rendezvous in Seattle: “It was amazing. All these different people from different places, but our heart and passion is aligned together to bring this Model to our own individual communities.”

The Recovery Café Network is grateful to have RCDC in our growing community! We know they will continue to be a mentor and role model for the many more Cafés to come.

The Journey Continues

Next up for RCDC: breaking ground on their new building! Their Café will be moving from their 500 square foot space to a new 8,000 square foot space that they will own and co-manage with the Anacostia Economic Development Corporation (AEDC), which will be creating 42 affordable housing units just above the Café–two services desperately needed in the community. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for you, RCDC! Congratulations on becoming a Full Member Café!

Thank you to Jacqueline Conerly for talking with us about the journey to becoming a Full Member Café. Learn more about Recovery Café DC at their website.