We are proud of Navigating Recovery's accomplishments

To The Daily Sun,

Navigating Recovery of the Lakes Region is a community based non-profit recovery center that started in response to the opioid crisis that was killing so many of our fellow citizens. In 2016 three of us met over coffee to talk about how addiction was affecting our community and what could we do about it. As we continued with our meetings, word spread, and more people from the recovery community joined us.

Their stories were varied and at times tragic. What was consistent was their passion to do something that made a difference for those struggling with addiction. We organized at a local level because we needed to respond rapidly with a plan that addressed our local community needs. This was not an abstract challenge. It was all too real and it was wreaking havoc on individuals, families and our community.

Though state and federal support would be helpful, we believed there’d be a prolonged response and we didn’t have time to spare. It was also critically important that our efforts fully integrated those in recovery.

It still remains a priority of Navigating Recovery to remove the stigma of addiction and to lead by example. Those in recovery were then, and remain today, vital to guiding our mission and helping us better understand the challenges of recovery. Those in recovery manage Navigating’s daily operations and over 50 percent of our board of directors identifies as being in recovery.

That first year was, and has continued to be, intensely collaborative. Our extended network of collaborators includes law enforcement professionals, firefighter/first responders, medical professionals, certified recovery support workers, art therapists, IT specialists, local business leaders, non-profit directors and members of the faith community. They all bring unique perspectives, a passion to serve others and empathy.

Our significant achievements are the result of collaboration and commitment. Like a football team, each player is vitally important, butsuccess is the result of teamwork.

As a non-profit organization that receives public funds, Navigating Recovery of the Lakes Region fully expects to be held accountable for its work, and we recognize that the programs we offer should be consistent with desired public policy. As founding members and members of the board of directors for Navigating Recovery, we would like to take this opportunity to share the remarkable work the team has accomplished in just over two years.

We have served over 700 participants who needed recovery services.

We were recently awarded a very competitive Community Development Block Grant that allowed us to purchase, with no mortgage, our new facility at 102 Court Street in Laconia.

We were awarded a CDFA grant to pilot our Workplace Recovery Assistance Program with Lakes Region businesses.

We provide services to participants at Belknap County Corrections (CORE Program), Nathan Brody IOP at Horizons, The Doorway at LRGH, 24/7 on-call Hospital Support Program, and local high schools.

In 2019 alone, Navigating Recovery has been awarded Outstanding Community Partner Award by Lakes Region Community Services and N.H. Providers Association 2019 “Recovery Provider of the Year”.

Our executive director, Daisy Pierce, is a nationally recognized professional who has testified in the U.S. Senate Health and Human Services Committee on recovery community organizations.

We came together in 2016 because we wanted to make a difference in the health of our community. What we lacked in experience we made up for with passion. We were then, as today, acutely aware that we’d experience some growing pains as our journey progressed.

What we’ve come to learn and appreciate is the strong foundation we began building in 2016 has allowed us to achieve some significant successes. We’ve never let perfect become the enemy of good. We are proud of the positive impact the team at Navigating Recovery is making for individuals, families and our community.

Andrew Hosmer

On behalf of the Navigating Recovery Board of Directors

Jacqui Abikoff

Eric Adams

Todd Cooper

Brian Keyes

Kerri Lowe

Maggie Pritchard

Scott Rupp

Heidi Squires