Meet Ethel

Ethel Chitseko

Ethel grew up in Malawi and came to America at the age of 18 to pursue the “American Dream.”  But bad stuff happened instead. She was introduced to alcohol and discovered the fun side of drinking.  All she knew at the time was that good things could happen if she drank. Drinking made it easier to stay connected with people, and when she was sad, she drank to help herself feel better. But then drinking became a problem. By the age of 33, she was a full-blown addict while raising two girls as a single mom. Her oldest daughter was taken from her, and then her youngest.  Both spent time in foster care.  However, on Mother’s Day in 2018, Ethel decided to get sober, and she never looked back.  Ethel is currently a Lead Peer Recovery Specialist at Recovery is Happening.  She also leads Coffee Connections at the courthouse every Friday.  Her oldest daughter is now 21 and in college.  Ethel uses art as a healthy alternative to drinking.  She can’t imagine recovery without art. Your purchases help support her recovery!

Meet Tyler

Tyler Mayer

Tyler grew up in Rochester, MN, and attended community college after high school.   He entered the trades and was a successful carpenter for over eight years.  He was also an avid skateboarder, and over the years, he fell into an addiction to prescription pain medications due to injuries. In return, his prolonged addiction led to illicit drug use as well. At the age of 27, he had lost his employment due to his addiction and was homeless for 3 ½ years. After hitting rock bottom, with the love of many homeless shelter staff and recovery specialists, Tyler is now five years sober and happily engaged to his daughter’s mom.  Tyler is currently a peer recovery specialist at Recovery is Happening.

Meet Keith

Keith Lawrence

Keith grew up in Chicago, and his journey with addiction began at age 14 when he first experimented with alcohol and marijuana. What started as typical teenage experimentation gradually escalated, and by 19, he was drinking and smoking every day. He first tried treatment at age 27 but over the next 30 years was in and out of treatment multiple times – initially just to get off the streets and then eventually recognizing the severity of his problem. In each relapse, he chased after the feeling of his first high from decades earlier, but never felt it again. Now living in Rochester, Keith’s most recent recovery journey began after an altercation in his apartment building. Faced with the prospect of losing the housing he had been fortunate enough to obtain, something finally clicked within him. His last treatment experience was different… while the program was the same, this time he truly listened and applied what he had learned. For the first time in his recovery journey, he reports having no cravings, urges, or desire to drink. Keith views his recovery as a spiritual progression, seeing it as something that changes not just drinking habits but one's entire personality and way of life.

Meet Adam

Adam Juhas

Adam grew up in Michigan, in a good family. Like many teenagers, he began experimenting with drugs and alcohol, which eventually led to his addiction. When his addiction and the pressures of life got to be too much for him, he decided to take a train to California and end his life. God had another plan.  Adam got so drunk and disruptive on the train that he got kicked off in Chicago. From there, he was sent to Rochester for treatment. Adam spent a year at Doc’s Recovery House and successfully graduated from their program. He then moved to the Cities, where he worked at NorthStar Addiction Treatment Center in Shakopee, MN, to assist with the construction of a new facility in Eden Prairie. Adam became a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist in 2023 and earned the Rising Star Award at NorthStar in 2024. Now dedicated to the field of recovery, he remains open about his future, stating, “I’m not sure which direction I’ll go, but I just want to help people achieve the level of freedom I’ve found.”

Meet Natasha

Natasha Johnson

Natasha grew up in Rochester, MN, spending four years in the foster care system as a child. Natasha became pregnant at 17 and graduated from high school at 18 through Rochester’s Alternative Learning Center, while caring for her son. She later had a second son with another partner. It was only after experiencing domestic violence that she began experimenting with party drugs. This eventually led to daily use and homelessness. She faced legal charges and spent time in jail. Her pathway to recovery began when she became pregnant with her daughter. The pregnancy motivated her to get clean, and she has successfully maintained her sobriety with the help of methadone treatment for her heroin addiction.  Today, Natasha works part-time at Pizza Hut, shares custody of her older children, cares for her daughter full-time with her daughter’s dad and fiancé, and pursues her creative interests, such as art. Natasha has overcome significant challenges to build a life in recovery, and your purchases are a tremendous encouragement to her.