I am happy to share the first issue of Fred Brown’s Recovery Services newsletter, Into the Light. As I reflect on the journey to arrive at where Fred Brown’s Recovery Services is today, I would like share about the men behind the dream.

In 1983, my late husband and founder, Fred Brown, started his work by operating sober living houses in San Pedro. In 1994, Fred and co-founder Al Ahl had the vision to create a treatment program with a home-like setting and family atmosphere. Their treatment program sought to provide a warm and comfortable environment that fostered empathy, compassion, understanding, mutual respect, and love. A “Recovery Family” was created with a treatment experience centered on learning how to become your “brother’s keeper” and promote healing from trauma and addiction. Fred Brown’s clients would live together, share meals, share chores, share themselves and help each other heal. Together, these men would become the men God intended and realize their fullest potential. Our agency continues to thrive with Fred and Al’s mission, “To build a strong foundation for lifelong recovery from the disease of addiction.”

It takes a village to endure this critical work in our community. Our team of talented staff and clinicians remain committed to meeting the needs of clients who arrive at our doorstep. I want to express my genuine appreciation to Mark Malone, Junie Gonzales, and Adrian Reveles. You men are the driving force of our agency and my rock. Finally, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Fred Brown’s Recovery Services staff. We could not do this without every one of you.

The FBRS team and I are honored to continue fulfilling Fred and Al’s vision and mission. We are blessed to work toward keeping FBRS alive, well, and thriving. I trust you will get a glimpse into our FBRS family in this newsletter and feel the love and enthusiasm within our agency.

With love and gratitude,

Roxie, Executive Director

Welcome to Into the Light. This issue highlights the critical matters, stories, and milestones at our agency, and it speaks to the excellence within our staff and program participants. FBRS has always been a safe and healing place for people struggling with addiction. When our work is grounded in empathy and love, we can reach someone’s spirit and show them out of the darkness and into the light.

In this issue, you will find an update on the past year as we all adapted our programming and services. Junie shares his reflections on our COVID-19 response and the tools we have made available to our staff and patients. Our Being of Service staff highlight shows the important service Adrian offers in our outpatient program, where he leads our clinicians and staff at the 505 office. Two of our alumni, Gary and Lindsey, are highlighted for completing our program. Gary’s story provides a glimpse into the Strides for Recovery program here at Fred Brown. Finally, we have compiled a list of sobriety milestones among our staff to highlight the collective sobriety among our team who live and work in recovery every day.

I hope this newsletter provides a glimpse of some of our agency’s achieve-ments and excellence. I trust you will enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed helping pull it all together.

Philip, Editor