Celebrating progress, people, and proven outcomes.
New Traditions, Family Feast, and Community Connection
This year’s Thanksgiving weekend was one for the books at Fellowship Recovery Community Organization, as we came together once again for our cherished Annual Family Feast and introduced new traditions that brought even more connection, joy, and recovery-minded fellowship to our community.
For the past nine years, Chef Wayne Shideler has lovingly prepared the FRCO Thanksgiving feast, feeding hundreds of participants, staff, and community guests. Thanksgiving at FRCO is about more than a meal, it’s a family experience. Staff and participants work side by side to prepare the food, set the tables, and serve those who may not have anywhere else to go for the holiday. Many bringing their families as guests, while others share space with new friends, giving thanks for the support and progress they’ve made in their recovery journeys.
This year, we also celebrated an exciting milestone: Wayne has been mentoring other staff members, passing on his culinary skills and leadership so the tradition of the feast can continue for years to come with a strong foundation of shared knowledge, heart, and community care.
For individuals who are unable to be with their families during the holiday season, FRCO’s Thanksgiving event has become a warm and meaningful tradition; a reminder that they are not alone, that they are valued, and that gratitude takes many forms.
In keeping with the theme of starting new traditions and deepening connections, FRCO kicked off a special addition to our Thanksgiving weekend on November 29, 2025: a flag football game organized by our Employee of the Month, Andy Golfin. Several participants stepped outside their comfort zones and signed up to play, later describing the experience as “just what they needed,” a chance to connect with others in a fun, active environment that strengthened bonds and built new memories.
That same day, FRCO also participated in outreach at the annual Exit 36 Event in Pompano Beach, where staff and volunteers offered services, shared personal recovery testimonials, and connected with community members who are seeking support and encouragement on their own recovery paths.
To top off a weekend full of fellowship and celebration, FRCO staff and participants attended the Recovery Day event at Hard Rock Stadium with the Miami Dolphins on November 30, 2025.
Special Impact Report
The Economic Value of Recovery: FRCO Generates a $33 Return on Every $1 Invested
When Fellowship Recovery Community Organization first began, it wasn’t with a large staff or a state-of-the-art building. It began with a simple but powerful idea: Recovery thrives when people have support, dignity, and community.
Founded by Rick Riccardi and other individuals with lived experience, FRCO grew from peer-led support circles into a countywide recovery network serving thousands each year. Today, a new analysis from the Fletcher Group shows how far that vision has carried and how deeply FRCO strengthens Broward County.
What Is the Fletcher Group Economic Calculator?
The Fletcher Group Economic Calculator is a nationally trusted tool used to measure the long-term economic outcomes of recovery programs. Unlike short-term reporting, this model looks across 15 years to calculate:
- Healthcare cost savings
- Reduced criminal justice involvement
- Workforce growth
- Productivity gains
- Long-term health and life improvements
Its methods are conservative and evidence-based, meaning the benefits it identifies are realistic, measurable, and widely respected by policymakers and researchers.
In just one year, Fellowship Recovery Community Organization serves approximately 1,000 individuals, providing a wide continuum of comprehensive recovery support services that are vital in helping people build and sustain meaningful lives in long‑term recovery. These services include peer support and recovery navigation, where trained peers with lived experience walk alongside participants to help them access treatment, benefits, employment support, and community resources. FRCO also provides recovery housing navigation and certified recovery residences, creating safe, structured environments that support stability and long‑term recovery. Life‑skills development and workforce readiness are delivered through structured programs like Back‑to‑Work, computer literacy, GED and continuing education pathways, and mock interviews, helping participants overcome barriers to employment and self‑sufficiency.
Alongside these core services, FRCO offers holistic, community‑centered supports such as telephone recovery support, resilience‑building workshops, community events, and collaborations with local partners to address housing, health, and social needs. This person‑centered approach aligns with best practices in recovery support and peer‑based care recognized nationally as essential in promoting long‑term wellness.
With an annual operating budget of $4.2 million, these programs help participants build stable, healthy lives, strengthening families, increasing workforce participation, and reducing crises and recidivism throughout Broward County. The organization’s work not only supports individual recovery journeys but also generates positive ripple effects that strengthen neighborhoods, improve community health, and promote economic resilience across the region.
A Smart Investment With Life-Saving Returns
With an annual operating cost of $4.2 million, Fellowship Recovery Community Organization generates an estimated $140.3 million in economic value each year, returning $33 for every $1 invested. That makes FRCO not only a lifeline for individuals and families, but one of the most financially effective investments in Broward County. The Fletcher Group’s analysis accounts for the realities of substance use disorder as a chronic, reoccurring illness where healing takes time and recovery is not linear and still shows overwhelmingly positive outcomes.
As FRCO continues to expand its reach and strengthen partnerships, this data gives funders, policymakers, and the community clear evidence of what participants and partners already know: recovery works, support matters, and community saves lives. Every life restored, every family strengthened, and every dollar invested brings us closer to a safer, healthier Broward County. One where recovery is supported, expected, and celebrated.
The turning point came when I finally got tired of the same cycle. I was ready for change, ready to do whatever it took to live a different life. Fellowship Recovery Community Organization gave me that chance, not just at recovery, but at building the life I had always dreamed of. Since getting clean on December 10, 2021, my life has completely changed. I got married, strengthened my relationships with my family, adopted the best dog ever, enrolled in college as a nursing student, and found a career that allows me to help others who struggle like I did.
As Assistant Director of Peer Support and a Certified Recovery Peer Specialist, I provide emotional and social support to individuals struggling with substance use. I help participants access community resources, provide recovery coaching, advocacy, life skills training, and support with employment opportunities. I also supervise our staff, manage the peer support waitlist, lead in-service trainings, and step in when our Director of Peer Support is away.
The best part of my work is seeing someone succeed. Getting their kids back, landing a job, paying rent, or just smiling because it’s a Tuesday. Those victories make it all worth it.
Recovery has taught me that having a support system is a strength, not a weakness. My sponsor and my network of peers have been essential to my journey. I stay grounded by staying positive, learning from those with more clean time, and setting small goals that lead to bigger ones. Recovery has helped me realize that I am no better and no less than anyone else, and if I don’t “pick up,” everything else falls into place. My advice to anyone struggling is simple: don’t give up on yourself. Call someone in recovery. You are not alone. You deserve the life you want, and don’t use, no matter what.
After a busy day, I relax in the little things—a late-night shower, cuddling with my wife and our dog Topper, and reflecting on my journey while watching a little Roku City. Looking ahead, I’m excited to continue my nursing degree, keep learning, and continue building a meaningful, fulfilling life. Helping others find recovery and hope has not only changed my life, it has given me a purpose I never imagined possible.
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