By Ro Selvey—
MUNCIE, IN—Recovery Café Muncie is a safe place for people to find nourishment, love, connection, and recovery right here in downtown Muncie. They are open for ALL people, including those experiencing substance use disorder, mental illness, poverty, homelessness, loneliness, trauma – whatever it is that’s preventing them from being their best, truest self. They truly meet people where they’re at but wrap them in the love and resources needed to not stay there.
When a community member enters the café, they are treated with love and respect. Regardless of their current struggles or past mistakes made, they are welcomed into the café and treated as a human being who is worthy of love. They are given a free hot meal, which is generously provided by the Soup Kitchen of Muncie during the week, and often through community donations on the weekend. After a community meal together where everyone discusses the glimpses of gratitude in their lives, guests are then invited to join in. There are lots of games, activities, and events. There is a lot of FUN. But there is also an earnestness to the reason this place exists. People are struggling. And they need each other.
Recovery Café Muncie relies on donations to provide services to our community. They are hosting their second annual fundraiser on September 7th at 9am at the Ivy Tech Fisher Building. To donate or register, visit givebutter.com/RCM2023breakfast. To learn more about the cafe, visit www.recoverycafemuncie.org.
Connection is cultivated at Recovery Café Muncie, and this connection is often the catalyst for change in people’s lives. This connection is created through community meals, peer support circles, school for recovery classes, pro social events, and peer recovery coaching. Through all these services, which are all provided at no cost to participants, they become a part of something bigger, part of the café family, and they begin to take ownership of the café and of their lives. This ownership is harnessed into roles within the café. Members become Member Leaders and take on roles and responsibility in the café. This elevation and recognition empowers members to believe that they are capable, productive, reliable, and trustworthy! This benefits the café, but it also benefits our community.
People relearn their worth, which translates into capable, productive, reliable, and trustworthy community members. Many of the members of Recovery Café Muncie are maintaining their recovery, and that has a ripple effect in our community. Law enforcement doesn’t need to arrest them, the hospital doesn’t need to detox them, family members don’t need to worry, and business owners are gain new employees. Not only are the members of Recovery Café Muncie getting their lives back, but the Muncie community is getting its community members back.
Lisa Roossien, the Executive Director of RCM, says “the most beautiful thing about Recovery Café Muncie is witnessing members’ evolution. From a person who could not sit still in circle for 3 minutes evolved a Peer Recovery Coach who is facilitating the circle. From a person who couldn’t stay out of jail evolved a Peer Recovery Coach who is volunteering at the courthouse to pray with people. The people here are amazing, and we get to witness them discover that.”
Ro Selvey is Muncie’s City Councilwoman at Large and a 25 year award-winning educator with Muncie Community Schools. She currently serves on the Finance Committee, Governmental Affairs, and Tax Abatement Committee. Ro is member of the Muncie Black Chamber, President of the Muncie Human Rights Commission, and President and founding member of the Riverfront District committee.
