One year ago this month, Young People in Recovery underwent a transition of staff, bringing on a President & CEO, Vice President, and a Chief Policy Officer. At the time, YPR was a group of dedicated young people, who hadnt quite developed a strategic direction yet, but their passion and enthusiasm for supporting youth in recovery was unmatched, and slowly, a small group of dedicated youth began changing the landscape of youth recovery. YPR went from an idea, to one of the largest recovery advocacy organizations in the country, during this time. Their new staff joined the already incredible volunteers who were carrying YPR, and within a short year, YPR has grown exponentially. We have gone from a handful of chapters, to 31 nationally, and that number is expected to reach 50 by early 2015. YPR went from around 20 members nationally, to over 500 YPR members, from Alaska, to Florida, to Texas, to Maine. We have gone from a group of youth, who just wanted our voices brought to the table, to an army of young people who strategically influence public policy, making it easier for our youth to find and maintain their recovery from addiction. We brought on an amazing, Development Director, Ann Herbst, who is a mother of a young person in recovery, and has been absolutely instrumental in the growth of YPR across the country. By adopting a new advocacy platform in November last year (YPR Advocates for better access to housing, education, and employment), YPR has created a new dialogue while discussing recovery oriented systems of care. Light has been shed on a gap of missing recovery support services, and the conversation has begun to shift towards providing youth better access to housing, education, and employment. SAMHSA, the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, and others have spoken publicly over the last year, about the need to increase access to these essential components of life, that have often been overlooked for so long in our communities. Now, with a ongoing merger with Faces & Voices of Recovery underway, YPR is poised to become the largest recovery community recovery advocacy organization, and we did it all within a year. Everything we have touched on thus far however, couldnt of happened without your support, care, and guidance. We have made mistakes, we have learned along the way, and we have grown into the individuals our families and friends always hoped we would. One thing is for sure however, none of this would have ever happened without the ongoing work, dedication, and perseverance of our chapter members. Our members, who have so selflessly dedicated their time, effort, and even their lives into making a difference for youth in or seeking recovery. Without our chapters, and our chapter members, YPR wouldnt exist. It is our members who are on the front lines everyday, advocating for change, to support their peers, and SAVE LIVES. Today we dont want to celebrate our staffs one year anniversary, we want to celebrate every single individual who has taken the time to dedicate a minute, a month, a year or more to YPR, and has played a part in carrying the banner for the youth recovery movement. Whether you are a chapter member, a supporter, a family member, or just someone who follows our page, we want to THANK YOU! Without all of you, YPR would simply just still be an idea.THANK YOU!! #RECOVERYWORKS!
Posted on: Tue, 04 Nov 2014 01:34:26 +0000
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