This summer, we’re turning up the heat on hope, healing, and connection
Need Narcan?
Be Prepared. Save a Life.
Carrying Narcan means being ready to save a life. Stop by and be the difference.
Fellowship Recovery Community Organization is an authorized distributor of Narcan, a life-saving medication that can reverse an opioid overdose. With summer music festivals, celebrations, and parties in full swing, it’s always a smart idea to have Narcan on hand—because you never know when it might be needed. Anyone can stop by our Recovery Community Center locations to pick up a free Narcan kit—no questions asked.
Summer of Strength and Connection
A Message from Sara Barkley, Chief Executive Officer
As we step into the summer season, I want to extend heartfelt gratitude to each of you who continue to show up, support one another, and breathe life into our recovery community.
The warmer months often bring changes in routines, travel, and transitions—but one thing that remains constant is the power of connection.
At Fellowship RCO, we believe recovery thrives when nurtured with consistency, compassion, and community. That’s why we’re committed to staying active and engaged throughout the summer, offering opportunities for learning, healing, and meaningful connection. From community events to support groups and outreach initiatives, there is something for everyone to stay grounded and inspired.
I’m also humbled and deeply honored to share that I was awarded the Floridians For Recovery Leadership Award at last month’s Recovery Leadership Summit. To be recognized for the work I get to do—helping others not just find recovery, but truly thrive is profoundly meaningful.
And speaking of community impact—we want to hear from you! FRCO is currently developing a 3-year Strategic Plan, and your voice matters. We’re currently conducting our very first Stakeholder Survey, and we’re inviting all participants, community partners, and supporters to help shape the future of FRCO.
Together, let’s make this a Summer of Strength and Connection—where every voice is heard and every person matters.
With gratitude,
Sara Barkley
Making Recovery Count: May 2025 Impact Snapshot
Supporting Growth and Healing Through Measurable Change
Employee Spotlight: Joshua Turci
I had a habit of getting lost along the road of recovery. With a stumble here and a “do you understand your rights” there. Recovery, for me, wasn’t a light-switch moment. I didn’t wake up one day and decide to be clean.
The truth is, I didn’t want to be clean for the longest time. I really didn’t think it was possible. I spent years in and out of treatment centers, detox, and hospitals chasing temporary solutions for a long-term problem. Life was a blur of intoxicated survival, not just because I didn’t care, but because I couldn’t comprehend that there was another way to manage the weight that was my life.
I tried staying sober for my daughter, for my family, for anything else besides me. It never worked. The turning point came when I finally let go… entirely … not of hope, but the preconception that I had any amount of control. When I stopped trying to force sobriety like it was a performance and started letting it unfold like a process, things shifted. Slowly at first, stubbornly, but meaningfully.
I began searching through spiritual philosophies and exploring different perspectives that challenged my view of reality. I came to understand that I was self-medicating, with each unique cocktail of drink and drug I engineered I tried to tackle the majority of my unseen battles that most people could not understand. Later, being prescribed medication was a revelation for my peace of mind, and a solidarity of hope. It didn’t solve all of my problems. I still have real life adulting concerns to contend with, but this new approach allowed me to respond to life rather than react at the last moment and wish for the best outcome.
I found the things that I initially wanted nothing to do with, like going to AA or NA meetings, getting a sponsor, establishing boundaries with people, places, and things that had become synonymous with chaos were the most powerful tools in my arsenal. I learned to focus my energy on writing and education rather than waiting for my ego to implode, or explode. I had to learn to be still, and be comfortable with myself which for me is still the hardest lesson of all.
eventually unwittingly stumbled upon a crossroads of life where I accidentally arrived at the Fellowship RCO’s Men’s Recovery Residence. I had no intentions of staying, however, inevitably I found myself becoming a part of a community that I never expected would become family, much less working in the office and given a piece of the community to hold accountable, and be held accountable in return. I was asked recently “what is your why? Why work in a recovery environment?” The simple answer is having the opportunity to give someone the support that was freely given to me and the excitement that I get when I see them succeed. It’s a high without the chemical crash. It’s seeing someone receive the message of hope and it becoming more than a simple conversation, but a life changing experience. To anyone in the grip of struggle: don’t count yourself out. Some of us don’t bloom until we’re smashed on the rock of the repercussions of insanity we naturally create within ourselves. And even then, we can transform into the most crooked, strangely twisted, magnificently rich, and beautiful ways.
