A Hero in Recovery is any individual who has found the courage to reach out for help with substance abuse and/or mental health issues and is living a life in recovery. A hero in recovery is also any friend or family member who has endured the effects of addiction and who continues to support and celebrate the long-term recovery of their friends and family.

Heroes in Recovery is a movement ignited by Foundations Recovery Network and the widespread community of those who are in recovery from addiction and co-occurring disorders. We discovered that while 23 million people each year need help for addiction, only three million actually seek treatment. We’re reaching out to the other 20 million – those who may not be seeking help due to the overwhelming stigma that often surrounds substance abuse and mental health disorders.

To eliminate the social stigma that keeps individuals with addiction and mental health issues from seeking help, to share stories of recovery for the purpose of encouragement and inspiration, and to create an engaged sober community that empowers people to get involved, give back, and live healthy, active lives.

Heroes in Recovery is currently a for-profit organization with a charitable spirit. We regularly support and partner with local 501(c)3 organizations in conjunction with many of our events. Additionally, we help raise money and do service work with many worthy causes that fit within our mission. For example, each of our Heroes 6K races has a designated local non-profit 501(c)3 that benefits  from each of these great events.

Our Heroes in Recovery lead advocates are individuals who are either personally in recovery or whose lives have been directly impacted by a friend or family member’s substance abuse or mental health issues. These lead advocates are integral to the movement because they are active in their recovery communities, sharing the mission of Heroes in Recovery to break the stigma. They help by collecting the Heroes stories, hosting events to raise awareness and blogging on the Heroes in Recovery website with words of encouragement based on their personal journeys.

The Heroes 6K run/walk event was created to raise awareness about the millions of individuals in the US alone who need treatment and do not reach out for help because of the social stigma associated with substance abuse and mental health issues. The Heroes 6K — not 5K, but 6K — celebrates those who have found the courage to seek help and are now living lives in recovery. The extra kilometer is symbolic of the extra distance those in recovery go every day. Each kilometer also represents one of the six letters in the word “HEROES.”

Visit the Events portion of the Heroes in Recovery website and share details about your recovery event, including the title, description, date, location, time and website link.

Whether your story is about you or a loved one, it’s a journey that could inspire another person to get treatment or to reach out for help. It can provide hope and encouragement for those who may feel lost or alone. With each story shared, you could be inspiring someone who may not be seeking help due to the overwhelming stigma that often surrounds substance abuse and mental health disorders. 

If you choose to share your story, you will be asked to agree to our terms of use. From time to time, we share stories via social and traditional media, but any links or republications will specifically be produced by us. We do not grant others any right to reproduce content from any of our sites.

Anyone whose life has been touched by addiction or mental health issues has a story to tell that could be inspirational and informative to others. It doesn’t matter if you are in recovery yourself, or if you’d like to share a story about someone you know or love who managed to break the stigma and helped to lower the barrier for others to seek treatment and live a more powerful life.

We began collecting stories because everyone has a story, and every story has the power to change lives. When looking at an issue as big as addiction and mental health, the numbers can be overwhelming. That’s why we want the numbers to be replaced by the stories of real people living real lives. Common ground and shared humanity can change the dynamics entirely.

First, thank you for being a part of the movement. Once you have submitted your story, it will be reviewed by our editors to check spelling, punctuation, etc. The turnaround time before it is posted is usually 2-3 weeks. You will be notified via the email address you submitted the day before your story is posted.

There are many ways to get involved. You can share our site with others who would appreciate our mission. You can follow us on social media or sign up for our newsletter to keep up-to-date with all of our activities and inspirational materials. You can volunteer at our events, apply to be a lead advocate or even nominate someone for our annual Heroes in Recovery award. We welcome your support and energy at any level.

Yes. We have caring admissions coordinators available right now who can help you or a loved one find the best treatment for your situation. Reach out to us directly at 1-888-312-4220.