Friends of Recovery seeking volunteers

Friends of Recovery Northeast Ohio Next Step Living Ministries is expanding its community outreach and seeking volunteers.

The group is getting ready to start Celebrate Recovery, a 12-step program for the entire family, said Friends of Recovery President Dennis Anthony.

It will be held at the Friends Church: Willoughby Hills. The first meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. April 23.

“This program ministers to children, teens and adults,” Anthony said. “Celebrate Recovery is for people looking for true recovery from life’s hurts, habits and hang-ups. The purpose of Celebrate Recovery is to take people from where they are hurt by life: victims of abuse, harmful relationships, divorce, grief, etc.; or stuck in habits: drugs, alcohol, gambling, relationships, bad behavior, sexual addiction, pornography, etc. or hung up by life’s hangups: co-dependency, depression, guilt, etc. and see them become transformed into people with hope, love for life, freedom, and a relationship with the true higher power, Jesus.”

While it is a faith-based ministry, Anthony said Celebrate Recovery is open to everyone regardless of religious beliefs.

“Everyone struggles with something and that’s what is great about what we are doing — we will address struggles that affect the entire family,” he said. “There are other Celebrate Recovery meetings in the area, but none of them are for children.”

The participants will be divided based on age. Children 5 to 12 years old will be in a group, 13- to 18-yearolds will be in a teen group and individuals over 18 will be in an adult group.

Lessons will be written to their levels, Anthony said.

Friends of Recovery started with three members on the team for Celebrate Recovery, but it has expanded to more than 20. Team members have been participating in training for the last nine months.

“Its been wonderful and we’re excited about it,” he said.

Volunteers are needed in various areas of this program.

“There are so many ways people can help those who are struggling,” he said. “And the volunteers will be surprised how much the people who are struggling can help them.”

Meanwhile, as the weekly men’s support group called Journeymen at the Tikvah Home for Men continues to grows, the need for help also increases. Participation for this meeting has exceeded 20 men, he said.

The Tikvah Home provides alcohol-free and drugfree housing to men who are recovering from substance abuse, but the support group is open to all men in the community. In addition to receiving support, a free hot meal also is provided. The dinner begins at 6 p.m. and the meeting starts at 7 p.m., every Tuesday.

“Another volunteer opportunity is providing a meal at Tikvah Home for Men,” he said.

“We are looking for volunteers to cook and deliver the meal. We have established a “MealTrain” which can be accessed at mealtrain.com, access code: k9r6m0. This will bring you to our page and provide the meal schedule. The men love to eat.” For more information about the community support groups or volunteer opportunities, contact Dennis Anthony at 440-669-9595.