About Volusia Recovery Alliance

Embrace Recovery

Who We Are

Volusia Recovery Alliance, Inc. (VRA) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization in Volusia County, Florida. The purpose of the Volusia Recovery Alliance is to coordinate peer-driven services that provide substance use recovery resources to our local community.

The VRA is a Recovery Community Organization developed with a grant received through the AETNA Foundation. We began our efforts with community listening and discussion, using a recovery community symposium as the forum. More than 200 people attended the symposium.

The symposium included café conversations that covered a variety of topics. From these discussions, we learned what our community members felt were the biggest challenges, which included issues such as better coordination with criminal justice, peer support programs, and community education.

Attendees of the forum provided input about what Volusia County needs, and the VRA has used this information to develop its strategic plan.

Our nonprofit began with a volunteer founding board that helped develop the foundation of the organization. We are a partner organization with Floridians for Recovery. Moving forward, we will establish our board of directors and finalize our services and programs in an effort to provide the most comprehensive source of services and resources for those seeking recovery and their families.

Our Commitment

a woman teaching some people

What We Do

We are a recovery hub for resources for anyone who is seeking recovery or is a family member or friend looking for help.

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We are working to make the community a recovery-ready community. This means we continue to identify resources for recovery, including employers who are recovery friendly, and we share the information.

Employment, especially, is a barrier to the peer movement. Our goal is to break down the common barriers that keep people from recovering.

two people sitting in front of each other

How We Do It

Through peer-driven services, coordination with criminal justice, and community education, we provide comprehensive substance use recovery resources.

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  • We increase opportunities to access SUD recovery resources
  • We meet with people who are in any stage of recovery
  • We offer peer-supported guidance and evidence-based services that support all aspects of recovery
  • We provide resources that support education, employment, health, and quality of life for people in recovery and their families
  • We educate the community about SUD
  • We advocate for people in all stages of recovery
people joining hands with each other

Why We Do It

We are driven by the belief that everyone deserves support and resources for their substance use recovery journey.

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We do it because

  • One in three people is directly affected by SUD
  • Recovery is attainable and sustainable
  • We must replace fear and pessimism about SUD with security and hope
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Our Board of Directors

VRA Board of Directors:

Karen Chrapek – VRA Executive Director
Bill Blower – BOD President
Jim Flatley – BOD Vice President
Lane Jennings – BOD Treasurer
Jennifer Stephenson – BOD Secretary
Deana Baldwin
Louis Colombo
Georgia A Jackson Trousdale
Michael Griggs
Dr. Itzel Harriott
Joan Lomupo
Bradley McKibben
Lindsay Moore
Lorena Ruiz
Liam Sweeney
John Selden

VRA Board Support Staff:

Frank Scharmen – VRA Operations Manager
Jeff White – VRA Contracts Manager
Marylou Fair – VRA CFC
Missy Ellerbee – VRA Office Manager/Outreach Specialist – Minutes Recorder

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