“I know the name is ‘On Our Own’ but we’re not on our own, we’re a family here,” Joseph, who goes by JJ, says. “This is a village where you can grow, we’re raising each other up.”
JJ has struggled with drug use and its consequences for most of his life. One of 25 children, he said his first interaction with marijuana was at age four and cocaine at age 13. A talented quarterback and middle linebacker, he had a goal to play football at Clemson University but he got into some trouble and ended up in prison instead. That cycle of drug use, rehab and prison played out for several decades before JJ found a program that he said is inspiring him to be a better person and live a more purposeful life.
“I’m learning to take care of myself, to put up healthy boundaries,” JJ said. “My problem was I knew how to live inside a prison, I didn’t get high there. What I didn’t know was how to live in society and now I’m learning how to do that.”
On Our Own of Frederick is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing intentional and inclusive peer-led recovery and wellness services. They work to create an accepting, supportive community in which they educate and empower people to heal, reconnect and find their own way forward. Neil Donnelly has been the Executive Director for just over a year. After a successful 35-year career in corporate leadership, he says he’s realizing that his passion is helping ultra-low resourced individuals.
“We offer peer-led recovery, all peers here have lived experience – everyone has had a mental health crisis or substance use disorder or both that they’ve lived through,” Donnelly says. “There is an empathy that comes with being able to relate to what a person is going through and being able to say, ‘look, it got better’.”
Responding to substance use disorder is one of the Community Foundation’s strategic areas of focus. On Our Own of Frederick County received $46,000 to help fund a peer recovery specialist/community resource navigator position.
On Our Own offers its peers a range of support services and inclusive activities including sober socials, guided art, meditation, haircuts, Reiki, women’s groups, men’s groups, volunteer opportunities and more. 
JJ has been through many recovery support programs, and he says this one is different because it focuses on the whole person and not just on the addiction.
“This program helps with things like social skills and finding a job, you don’t have to just talk about addiction and mental health, you can talk about anything,” JJ says. “After getting high for 30 to 40 years, you’re used to being numb and isolated and you put up walls. When you’re sober you have to break down those walls and live a normal life and learn how to deal with problems, learn to be independent.”
This summer, JJ completed his recovery support program and moved into a sober living unit. He says he will continue working with On Our Own – both as a peer helping others and as someone in recovery.
“This program is never over, addiction is never over, it’s a fight every day,” JJ says.
The Community Foundation established three areas of strategic focus based on the Human Needs Assessment: preparing for an aging population, supporting families with children and responding to substance use disorder. This story can also be found in our FY 2024 Annual Report to the Community.