“I've just got a passion to help somebody and use my story in any way possible to help somebody else,” says Tristan, a Recovery Project Coordinator in Mason County, Illinois.

“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.

“I can't help but think how different my life would have been if I would have been involved in something like this earlier on.” - Chad, Recovery Navigator

“I'm thankful that I have the ability to work with them because they are a great group of people, and they do a lot of good things. They've opened my eyes to things that I did not necessarily know about.” - Angela, Recovery Project Coordinator

“I felt like I had a lot of experience. I've been there and done that,” Meg says. “I know for me, other people's experiences helped me along my journey, and I just felt really passionate about that.” 

“I’ve always wanted to help people. There are still a lot of people in my life who are not in recovery yet, so it just made sense to me,” says Dakota.

“Instead of just turning a blind eye, let’s look at how we can support people with substance use disorder and help them get further in the right direction if that’s something they want to do,” she says. 

“I’m just very grateful for this opportunity,” she explains. “Not only am I learning how to become a Peer Support Specialist, but I’m also learning how to be professional.”