Real People, Real Recovery: How Community Support Is Changing Lives

“You don’t just recover and life is repaired. For me, recovery meant staring my pain and mistakes in the face.” – Jake Samsell

Recovery isn’t a straight line. It’s not a single event or a perfect path. It’s messy, courageous, deeply personal—and most importantly, it’s possible.

That’s the message Jake Samsell shared in a powerful recent interview about his recovery journey and the role that Recovery Community Network (RCN) played in helping him rebuild his life. Once a professional with a family and stability, Jake’s life took a detour, one many people in recovery know all too well. But when he needed support, he turned to RCN—and he found more than just resources. He found people who understood.

Jake's story is more than inspirational—it's transformational. It's about the strength it takes to admit you need help and the kind of community that responds not with judgment, but with action.

Why Peer Support Matters

What makes RCN different is their commitment to meeting people where they are. Whether someone walks in unsure of what they need or calls in a moment of crisis, RCN connects individuals with peers—real people with lived experience who can say, “I’ve been there. I know what this feels like.”

As Katie Blue, director at RCN, shared during the interview, “We have a peer there that’s going to be able to have a similar story.” From Native American beating circles and veteran programs to telephonic recovery check-ins and Spanish-speaking support groups, RCN ensures that no one has to face recovery alone—or wait days for help.

Turning Recovery into Purpose

Jake is now taking his next steps as part of RCN’s AmeriCorps Recovery Corps, where he’ll serve as a recovery navigator, offering the same support that helped him. He’ll be calling others, asking the most powerful question someone in recovery can hear: “How’s your recovery going this week?”

As Katie puts it, “He’ll take his lived experience and turn it into purpose.”

More Than Sobriety—A Life Rebuilt

RCN is about more than abstinence. It’s about helping people rebuild community, joy, and connection. Whether it's joining the All Recovery Softball League, attending game night, or participating in culturally rooted healing practices, people in recovery need fun, too. They need belonging.

And they need safety. That’s why RCN partners with St. Cloud State University to supply campus-wide overdose emergency kits—because proactive prevention saves lives.

You Can Help Too

RCN provides all its services free of charge. That’s only possible through the support of community members, donors, and local businesses. Whether it’s $5, $500, or sponsoring an event like Rock and Recovery in the Park, every contribution helps ensure someone like Jake gets a second chance.

Visit www.recoverycommunitynetwork.com or call the team directly to learn how you can support or partner with them.

Closing Thoughts

Recovery takes courage. Community makes it possible. As Jake said best, “I honestly feel I’m standing here because those people were willing to help.” Let’s be those people—for someone else.

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