Recovery Corps Gives Dedicated Community Servant New Avenues for Doing Good

“I guess it all boils down to that part, the trust,” says Michelle, a longtime community builder and Recovery Navigator in Minneapolis. “I have built a lot of relationships. Some are still out there. I'm going to be right here waiting to let them know when they get ready, I'm here. As long as there's breath in my body, I'm here.” 

Navigating Resources for Recovery Journeys 

In her first year in Recovery Corps, Michelle supported over 40 people one-on-one as they began their recovery journeys. When her clients walked through the doors of ICCM Life Center, the recovery-focused organization where she serves, she listened to their needs, helped them set goals, and found the resources needed to achieve them.  

“None of the situations are the same, but the result is they come out with victory,” she says. “I’ll get a phone call when they tell me that they're in their apartment, or they tell me that they retrieved that driver's license back, or they tell me they restored some relationships with family members.” 

Since Michelle has personal experience with recovery herself, she knows what the journey is like. Through her firsthand knowledge, she has made powerful, lasting connections with her clients. 

“I tell them, ‘I get it. I used to be you,’” she says. “‘When I'm talking to you, I'm talking to me.’ It’s easy for me to listen to you because that was me once.” 

Nourishing Her Community 

Now preparing for her second year as a Recovery Navigator, Michelle will continue to make recovery possible for more people in Minneapolis. But even before joining Recovery Corps, she was no stranger to supporting her community. No matter where life has taken her, she has always prioritized giving back, often by providing home cooked meals for students, families, and those in need. 

“I grew up in a restaurant,” she explains. “I learned how to cook at an early age, and then I realized that food brought people together. If the food was good, that made people happy.” 

In more recent years, Michelle provided communal meals using the kitchen in her studio apartment. During the initial stages of the Covid-19 pandemic, rates of substance use increased around the country, and Michelle’s community was no exception. She cooked countless meals during those months, mostly for her neighbors staying at a nearby Minneapolis hotel. 

“I said, ‘We got to do something.’ So, I went around and started passing out flyers and told people there was free food. People could still be six feet apart, but they could come find community,” she says. “Restaurants were closed, and I loved using my hands. I knew that this would be some of the best food ever because I knew where my heart was. That brought community together.” 

Serving at ICCM Life Center 

Michelle joined ICCM Life Center in 2018 as an intern, making phone calls to community members to check in on their mental health and recovery. Michelle was deeply moved by the outreach they did.  

“Tears just began to roll down my eyes,” she says.  

After a short leave, Michelle is back at Life Center. This time, she is serving as a Recovery Navigator and beginning a new chapter of her career. 

“Nothing was going to stop me from getting to these people. Nothing,” she says. “We have been going out there, building relationships, loving them, and them loving on me. We’re talking and we’re hugging and we’re laughing because that’s important to them. They just want somebody to listen to them, not to judge them, not to turn their nose up. I know what all that was like.” 

Looking Forward 

Michelle is proud of the impact she’s able to have through her service and plans to serve in Heading Home Corps for all four years of her eligibility. She has also started to think about what will come after that and how she can remain active in her community. 

“I want to be a licensed alcohol and drug counselor,” she says. “I don't know when, but in my heart of hearts, my next move is to combine the recovery world with the gift that I have to cook and combine it in the same facility and feed the people good, healthy meals. I kept saying, ‘I don't like what I see,’ and I want to learn all I can and do better.” 

We are so grateful to have Michelle on our team and can’t wait to see how she’ll continue serving people in Minneapolis! Recovery Corps is still looking for dedicated and passionate people like Michelle to join our team. Interested? Visit recoverycorps.us to learn more and apply.