Giving Hope a Home

For the past 18 years, I’ve worked at an organization providing substance use disorder treatment services in Kansas City and Springfield, MO. As someone who is in recovery, this has been an important way for me to stay connected to the community.

However, after nearly 20 years in recovery, I had the desire to become involved in another way. I didn't just want to be connected to recovery; I wanted a way to take action. I was interested in advocacy so I did a little research and I learned about Shatterproof and the Kansas City 5K Walk/Run. I registered and formed the team, "Hope Lives Here." I invited a few friends to join me and we raised money and got people to show up and walk.

The 2017 Shatterproof event was very powerful for my teammates and me. We felt inspired and afterwards we talked about how meaningful the day was for us. A Shatterproof relationship manager kept in touch with our team and mentioned that there were more walks in other cities. The idea was quickly hatched. What if we sent a team to every city Shatterproof was holding 5K Walk/Run?

Within a week we had bake sales, car washes, spaghetti suppers, and yard sales planned. We started fundraising so that we could send at least two members of our team to each city. I agreed to pay my own way so we would have at least three members at each event.

Our group rallied around this amazing cause. We talked about stigma and what it meant to each of us. We told other people what we were doing and the reactions and stories we heard from others reinforced how important our cause was—not only for those of us in recovery but for many others impacted by this disease.

We met people and celebrated their stories of recovery while we washed their cars. We cried with people who bought our baked goods and told us stories of loss. We were empowered. We shared our hope.

Ten Hope Lives Here team members walked in the Kansas City 5K; six walked in New York City; three teammates walked at the Washington, D.C. event; six in Boston; and nine participated in the final Shatterproof 5K Walk/Run of 2017 in Atlanta. Collectively, Hope Lives Here walked over 100 miles to help end the stigma with Shatterproof.

But we didn’t want to stop there. Jason Snow, one of our New York team members, suggested we create a motorcycle ride fundraising event to raise money and awareness for Shatterproof. And so the Ride for Recovery was born! The event will take place on May 12, 2018, in Kansas City, and include a 90-minute ride followed by food, raffles, and prizes. We’ll also provide information about the 2018 Kansas City Rise Up Against Addiction 5K Walk/Run on June 9. Our fundraising goal for the Ride for Recovery is $2,000 and we expect to meet that goal! I am very excited!

Being part of Shatterproof and such an important movement has been truly amazing. I’m thankful that Shatterproof has created platforms for people to celebrate recovery and discuss how stigma limits access to necessary treatment for those with addiction.

Together, we can take action and change the way we talk about addiction. A small group of people in Kansas City proved that.

Want to be part of the Ride for Recovery event on May 12 in Kansas City, MO? Click here.

Originally published in 2018.