Dear Friends,

I hope you all had a safe and happy July Fourth holiday! 

With summer now in full swing, I am reminded of the importance of community in recovery. In his viral Ted Talk, “Everything You Think You Know About Addiction is Wrong,” Johann Hari famously states:

“The opposite of addiction is not sobriety; the opposite of addiction is connection.” 

Millions of people with substance use challenges find that connection through community in 12-step fellowships. This free, widely available support is truly a testament to the power of the recovery community.

And yet, millions more people who experience addiction issues do not find a home in any 12-step fellowship—for a variety of reasons that have nothing to do with the sincerity of their desire for change. 

Recovery community centers (RCCs) are increasingly filling this vital gap in communities across New Jersey. Now available in all 21 counties, RCCs are funded by the NJ Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) and provide an array of free supports, including:

• Peer recovery coaching
• Group support meetings
• Social and recreational activities
• Educational workshops and trainings
• Access to treatment and other services
• Volunteer opportunities

Prevention Links is proud to operate three RCCs in the Central NJ region:

• Recovery Junction Recovery Center in Jersey City (Hudson County)
• Rise Up Recovery Center in Roselle (Union County)
• Vision of Hope Recovery Center in New Brunswick (Middlesex County) 

We are always welcoming new members and volunteers to our recovery community!

Participation in a RCC can be a tremendous support at all stages of the recovery journey, whether someone is already engaged in a 12-step program or looking for other forms of support.

If you or someone you know is in recovery, I encourage you to get involved with your local RCC. Your participation not only strengthens your own recovery, but builds the recovery community in your local area. 

Find your local recovery community center here. 

Red Ribbon Day

Save the date for October 12, 2024! Red Ribbon Day is already in the works and we need your help to reach out $55,000 fundraising goal!

Whether you're walking for the Prevention Awareness Walk, starting a peer-to-peer fundraiser, sponsoring, or spreading the word - we want you to join us in our mission.

Everyone Knows Someone, Help Prevent the Next One.

Program Highlights

On July 17th, Recovery Junction Recovery Center will be hosting a Recovery Drum Circle in partnership with Love More for Julius!

Stop by our Jersey City Recovery Center to enjoy some good times and deep rhythms that soothe the soul! 🥁 🪘🎶

Make sure to RSVP by contacting the Center at recoveryjunction@preventionlinks.org

On June 26th, we held our annual community garden planting day at our Elizabethport Community Center! 🪴 🥬🥦

This was a great opportunity for our community members to come together, strengthen connections, and spend some time outside in the summer sunshine. ☀️ We want to thank our dedicated partners who help make our garden possible, the County of Union, New Jersey, the County Commissioners, and Groundwork Elizabeth. We couldn’t be more grateful for your support!

On June 20th, Greenway Family Success Center was filled with the vibrant colors, sounds and flavors of our Farmer's Day celebration. 🌽🥳

From traditional music and dance to delicious food and crafts, the event was a beautiful tribute to the field workers who sustain our communities. 🌱

A huge THANK YOU to everyone who joined us and made the day unforgettable! 🎶👨 🌾 We loved seeing the families reunited, the children enjoying the activities and everyone dancing and celebrating our agricultural heritage.

Prevention Links is a private, non-profit organization with a history dating back to 1971. With community being defined as any environment where people live, work, or learn, the goal of Prevention Links is to pull together all available resources to eliminate the deleterious effects of drugs, alcohol, violence, and inadequate educational and health institutions in our communities

Our mission is to foster healthy sustainable communities by empowering people through education, collaboration and by serving as the linkage to resources.



Thank You to Our Sponsors