Recovery Café Valley of the Sun Graduates to Full Membership

Just 18 months ago, Anthony Eaton happened across Recovery Café Valley of the Sun. He had just completed a nine-month treatment program. Over the previous decade Anthony had worked his recovery journey, spent time in a number of drug treatment centers, and had gone back to using a number of times.

From the moment he first poked his head inside the Café’s door, he knew he had found what was missing for him, and missing in the recovery community. For one, the space was so welcoming, warm, and light. And then there was the hug and hospitality he received when he walked in the door. And he found a wide diversity of folks hanging out there—people in recovery from substance use disorder, for sure, but also those experiencing loneliness or grief.

The Café quickly became his place, providing the kind of community support that he needed. Less than two years later, when cofounders Dennis and Dawn Paschke retired, Anthony became the Café’s Executive Director.

Emerging to Full Member

Located in Chandler, Arizona—not far from Phoenix—Recovery Café Valley of the Sun began, as all Cafés in the Network do, as an “Emerging Member Café.”

All Emerging Member Cafés receive extensive training in how to embody the Recovery Café Model. After what is often a two- to three-year process, Cafés are evaluated. We are delighted to announce that just last month Recovery Café Valley of the Sun graduated to Full Member Café status as they are beautifully living out what it means to be a Recovery Café!

While Anthony is Valley of the Sun’s only employee, the Café community is thriving thanks to the support of 54 volunteers! Gary Smith is one of those. After 40 years as a pilot, Gary was looking for a way to contribute to his community. He figured he might enjoy being a barista—or a bartender. Fortunately for the Café, he chose barista and now serves as Director of Coffee Operations! 

When asked what it means to them to now be a Full Member Café, Anthony sort of glows when he says that they are grateful to be embodying a recovery model that has been practiced and refined for 20 years now (the first Recovery Café was established 20 years ago). And it’s a model that “successfully breaks chains,” he says, and provides the kind of long-term support needed throughout the recovery community.

When Gary is asked what it means to be a Full Member Café, he simply recounts how, on hearing the news from Anthony, the two of them danced and shared high-fives and got a little choked up.

We are celebrating along with all of you there in Arizona!

Thank you to Anthony Eaton and Gary Smith for talking with us about the journey to becoming a Full Member Café. Learn more about Recovery Café Valley of the Sun at their website.