May 11, 2015 Council staff Bev Haberle (left),  Concella Bell and Fred Martin, with volunteers Joan Vieldhouse (2nd from left) and Sabrina Washington. Honoring Hundreds of Volunteers   Never underestimate the power of a smalll group of committed people to change the world. In fact, it is the only thing that ever has.  -Margaret Mead   Forty years ago our agency was borne out of adversity and heartache by volunteers who wanted to correct the failures of a community to appropriately respond to the needs of an individual suffering from the disease of addiction. "Ignorance, stigma and the lack of adequate treatment led this handful of volunteers to create an organization that changed howwe address addiction for individuals, their families and our communities," according to Bev Haberle, executive director ofThe Council of Southeast Pennsylvania, Inc. Like so many of our staff, Bev first got involved with The Council as a volunteer, and served in many roles over the last three decades before taking the helm.  Traveling from Philadelphia to Bristol to Doylestown recently, to honor volunteers at three of our Recovery Community Centers' celebrations, Bev shared our organization's genesis, growing from Bucks County to 10 locations throughout our five-county area. She offered her gratitude and encouragement, thanking the volunteers for "continuing the legacy of that small group that set in motion opportunities for thousands of individuals and families to dramatically change their lives -  to survive, to thrive, and to embrace the benefits of recovery with dignity and respect."  Click each site to see more photos and video clips from our Volunteer Appreciation Day festivities for our ProAct volunteers at Central Bucks, Southern Bucks and Philadelphia Introduction to Peer Recovery Coaching for Young People, May 16   Roland Lamb, director of the City of Philadelphia's Office of Addiction Services,Department of Behavioral Heath and Intellectual disAbilities Services (DBHIDS),will be the keynote speaker at a one-day introduction to peer recovery coaching for young people. The program is approved for 4.5 PCB credit hours. The program offers education and collaborations for young people interested in supporting peer recovery, and is especially focused on empowering young men of color who have had experience with the Juvenile Justice System. Known as The Brotherly Initiative, the program is offered free by Young People in Recovery (YPR),in affiliation with President Obama's My Brother's Keeper Initiative, and supported by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Other featured speakers: Devin Reaves, MSW, CRS, and Nathniel D. Ellison, M.A. The event will be hosted by ProAct's Philadelphia Recovery Community Center at 1701 W. Lehigh Avenue, #6, on Saturday, May 16, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Lunch will be provided. Registration is required. Space is limited and nearly full. For more information or to register, visitYoungPeopleInRecovery.org/registrationor call 215-345-6644 by Wednesday, May 13. Click for flyer Holistic Acupuncture Series at ProAct Philadelphia     Many benefits are associated with acupuncture as an holistic recovery support that helps decrease anxiety, mood swings, insomnia, cravings and withdrawal symptoms. You are invited to learn more, observe or receive acupuncture treatments at one or all of the following sessions offered from 12 Noon to 1:00 p.m. at ProAct's Philadelphia Recovery Community Center, 1701 W. Lehigh Street, #6, Philadelphia on Thursdays, 5/14, 5/21 and 6/11; and Fridays, 5/29 and 6/5. The program is free but donations are welcome. Sessions are provided by students supervised by clinical instructors from the Won Institute of Graduate Studies, the only accredited acupuncture school in Pennsylvania. Registrations are requested. Please call Philadelphia Recovery Community Center at 215-223-7700. For additional information, email Karima.Williams@woninstitute.edu    Expungement Workshop: Can Your Criminal Record be Erased?  A criminal record can be one of the biggest obstacles to getting a job, but some records can be expunged. Join Erica Briant, legal fellow at Legal Aid of Southeast Pennsylvania, to learn more about how her organization can help clear criminal records for people looking for employment. The program will provide information and support so you can find out if you can get an expungement or pardon for a past criminal record and to find out about employment protection options when you are applying for a job. Come prepared with questions related to your situation. The workshop will be held at ProAct's Southern Bucks Recovery Communty Center, 1286 Veterans Highway, #D6, Bristol, on Thursday, May 14, from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. For more information or to register, contact Karen at 215-788-3738 or by email at kburke@councilsepa.org Legal Aid of Southeast Pennsylvania provides quality legal representation to low-income and vulnerable people in Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery County, to empower them to solve problems without legal representation through legal education and increased access to the courts, and to change community practices and systems that cause or aggravate poverty.  Advancing in Recovery Annual Conference, Friday, 5/22     Motivational speaker Jenn Friedman, is an author, musician and recovery advocate who knows that freedom from addiction and illness is possible. Eating Disorders on a Wire: Music and Metaphor as Pathways, is a book and music compilation project that allows Jenn to share her message of strength, hope and connection and encourage others to cultivate their own voice and process. Clinicians and people in recovery are welcome to attend this free conference, sponsored by Magellan Healthcare and the Board of Bucks County Commissioners, on Friday, May 22, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Delaware Valley University. Breakout sessions will be focused on a variety of holistic topics such as art therapy, yoga, music, storytelling through writing, healthy eating, gardening and volunteering with animals. Council staffFred Martin and Rick Petrolawicz will lead sessions on "Our Voices Have Power" (positive ways to share your lived experience) and "Gateway to Work" (addressing gaps in employment, resume writing and interviewing), respectively. This conference is approved for 6 CU credits. Bucks County Transport, Inc. will provide transportation assistance at four locations: Bristol, Doylestown, Langhorne and Sellersville. For more information on breakout sessions, transportation, or to register, click here or call 215-444-2707. Click for more about Jenn Friedman  Save the Date!     ProAct Recovery Walks! 2015  Penn's Landing, Philadelphia Saturday, September 19 Register Free. Form a Team. Join the Honor Guard. Volunteer. Donate. Sponsor. click here recoverywalks.org      AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support your favorite charitable organization every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you'll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to The Council. Go to www.smile.amazon.com  Log in with Amazon account info or register if you are a new member Type in The Council of Southeast Pennsylvania, Inc. and click SEARCH We will come up, hit SELECT Amazon donates 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to The Council. councilsepa.org 24/7 Confidential Information/Referral Line: 800-221-6333    Click here for Employment Opportunities Click here to Join Our Mailing List    Our Mission is to provide resources and opportunities  to reduce the impact of addiction, trauma and other related health issues.  We offer prevention, intervention, assessment, counseling,  education, advocacy, and recovery support services. Your donations help us continue our success in offering hope, healing and recovery planning for individuals, their families, and our communities. DONATE Donations help us to reduce the impact of addiction for more individuals and families. The Council is a 501(c)(3) organization.