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Recovery Cafe Now Open!

We are thrilled to announce that Recovery Cafe Jefferson County is now open on Thursdays from 1pm - 3pm. We had our first ‘soft opening’ on 3/11 and what a joy it was!

For this entire year amidst the pandemic, we have been grappling with this question: What is the most loving thing we can do for our Members, and for the greater recovery community? Until today, we discerned that the answer was to not open. It was frustrating, heartbreaking, but ultimately right. Instead, we found our way forward by building community virtually.

Our hearts ached because we knew not everyone who needed recovery support could access it virtually. The unfairness of that situation has been a particularly devastating example of how the pandemic has highlighted social inequities.

We did what we could throughout this difficult year, and we’re proud to have developed deep and genuine relationships with one another in our virtual Recovery Circles and Volunteer Trainings. These relationships have become the foundation on which we sustain our recovery.

We are so grateful we can now deepen these relationships safely face-to-face.

There are many considerations we took into account to make this decision. Namely: Jefferson County, WA has the lowest COVID case and death rate of any county in Washington State; Jefferson County moved into Phase 2 for WA safe reopening plan; the weather is improving and we can comfortably meet outdoors as well as indoors; and we hired, trained, and vaccinated enough staff to manage the space.

If you agree to the guidelines below, we invite you to join us on Thursdays from 1pm-3pm. This invitation extends to Members, Volunteers, visitors, guests, and other social service providers. Welcome all!

We’ve walked a long road to arrive at this point. We thank you for your support, and we hope this is just the beginning of more days and times Recovery Cafe JC can be open for the entire community to find recovery support.

GUIDELINES:

1. 24 hours drug-and-alcohol-free

2. Sign in at the front desk and receive a temperature check

3. Wear a mask

4. Maintain 6 feet of distance

5. Maximum capacity is 11 people in the main space. Staff will arrange outdoor seating for excess capacity.

6. No food or drink indoors. We are only permitted for take-out food service in Phase 2. We will be making a "to-go" meal that will be ready to hand out between the hours of 1pm-3pm when you are ready to leave.

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New Year New Content

As 2021 hums along, here’s the latest from Recovery Cafe Jefferson County. Below you’ll find:

• Member Profile: Robert

• School for Recovery: Yoga

• Volunteer Trainings

• New Recovery Circle (Wednesdays 10am-11am)

• Recovery Advocacy Day

Member Profile: Robert

Read our latest Member Profile. Robert is a beloved part of our recovery community and we hope you’ll find strength and hope from his story. Deepest gratitude to Robert for sharing his experience.

School for Recovery: Yoga

Taking care of our mind and body is crucial for recovery. Watch recordings of Recovery Cafe staff Annie as she leads trauma-informed yoga classes.

Volunteer Trainings

Thank you to Douwe Rienstra, MD for facilitating our first Volunteer Training of 2021 on the topic of “Medical Aspects of Recovery.”

Our next Volunteer Training will be Friday, 2/19 from 10am-11:30am on the topic of “Listening in a Time of Trauma” by Linda Little, PhD. She’s a psychologist who is interested in discussing what interferes with our ability to listen when we are stressed and how we can begin by listening to ourselves.

Dr. Little has vast experience in mental health crisis field response including supporting US DEA Field Office in Miami struck by Hurricane Andrew; supervising a team of Top Secret Secured Licensed Clinicans on site at the Oklahoma City Bombing; and working with the US Marshals’ Peer Support Team for 13 years.

If you haven’t already, please register here to receive the Zoom link prior to the training.

This training is free and open to the public, so if you’re already a Member or Volunteer, great! If you’re curious about Recovery Cafe, this is a good opportunity to check things out.

To watch some of our previous Volunteer Trainings, visit our website here.

New Recovery Circle

Thanks to our recently hired Staff and one of our dedicated peer leaders, we started a new Recovery Circle on Wednesdays 10am-11am. This is our 5th Recovery Circle and we hope that our growth will provide for more opportunities for people to engage in peer recovery support.

If you’d like to learn more about Recovery Circles and how to become a Member, please contact us at 360-385-5292 or fill out our New Member Enrollment form online and Recovery Cafe staff member will contact you for a New Member Introduction.

Recovery Advocacy Day

Washington Recovery Alliance is hosting a virtual Recovery Advocacy Day this year. This is a great opportunity to let your voice be heard. Learn more about registration and legislative priorities here.