What is a CARE Talks Event?

I’ve been homeless in multiple cities including Richmond. My last bit of homelessness was for 3 years on Midlothian Turnpike, which ended up in Chesterfield Co. Jail’s HARP Program which introduced me to literature, and other folks in recovery which gave me something to believe in when it seemed all hope had been lost. I was there for 2.5 months and upon release I jumped in with both feet into the fellowship and haven’t looked back since. My parents are still actively using and abusing prescription pain medicine which is how my addiction journey began with opioids. I sold the medicine after a terrible car accident my father had in 1996 that rendered him partially paralyzed and no longer able to support the family through his trade. I still see them as often as possible for short periods as to protect my own recovery. I now get to see a small portion of what I put my family through which is extremely humbling. I’m happy to say that I love myself enough today to draw some healthy boundaries as to my family interaction. My brother is an very functional alcoholic if there is such a thing! I recently had to draw some additional boundaries with him as well. I will celebrate 3 years clean from any mood and/or mind altering substances on Dec. 7th, 2020 and recovery has continued to treat me exactly how I treat it. With respect and gratitude. I am a newly named Coordinator and Lead CPRS at Alive RVA and finally have a sense of purpose and passion in my life that I had searched for all of my adult life

Mother. Daughter. Friend. Activist. Advocate. Woman in recovery, formerly incarcerated and lover of Jesus!

An Illinois native is an author, columnist, father, and person in long-term recovery from drug and alcohol addiction and depression. Bechel's “Restoring the Soul” column focuses on healing, recovery, and overall health and his “Beyond Parody” focuses on advocacy work related to addiction and recovery. He has authored two books and is currently working on his third, Never Give Up: Let the Stars Guide You and Your Feet Move You. He has presented for numerous platforms, the most notable being the Office of National Control Policy. He is the founding Executive Director for Amare, a 501 (c) (3) Recovery Community Organization (RCO) that provides recovery support services (RSS), awareness and education, and advocacy for change. He is a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist (CPRS) and has written and directed the two-act play, If I Never Wake Up that highlights what addiction and an overdose can do to a family. He is also the founding producer and host of the #1 recovery and community-based podcast in the Midwest, Recovery Uncensored at the WBGZ 107.1 radio studio. He is also the Lead CPRS at Alton Memorial Hospital for their Warm Handoff Program. 

Pamela Steele has worked with many of the area’s most vulnerable populations. She has volunteered with multiple food and outreach ministries on front lines of recovery, poverty, and substance use disorder (SUD) in both Richmond and Chesterfield County. 

She currently works full time in the Forensic and Civil units as a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist at Central State Hospital. She has facilitated groups inside the HARP program at Chesterfield Jail, SAARA of Virginia and Richmond Behavioral Health Authority. 

Ms. Steele has been a successful Virginia Realtor for 25 years. She specializes in credit repair, first time home ownership and down payment grants. 

Ms. Steele is in long term recovery from SUD and Mental Health issues. She believes that she cannot keep what she has without giving it away. 

She has six children and 13 grandchildren.

John Fabiseski (Johnny Fab) is a person in Long Term Recovery. John's substance use condition has been in remission since January 26th 2014. John is currently a Certified Recovery Specialist in the Administration of Luzerne County Community College for the AllOne Recovery Educational Institute. John is a State Lead for the Pennsylvania Recovery Advocacy Project and a Contracted Trainer for the Pennsylvania Recovery Organizations Alliance. John is also a current student pursuing a Bachelor's Degree in Social Work at Misericordia University. 

Carol Cruz is a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist and Recovery Coach with over 25-years of lived experience in long-term recovery from substance use and depression. She is the founder and executive director of the nonprofit R.E.A.C.H. OUT Project in Connecticut and the owner of Carol Cruz Coaching. 

Carol is a seasoned peer mentor, community advocate, and mental health and harm reduction training facilitator. She works closely with leadership teams and organizations to foster healthy, collaborative working relationships for peers and clinical staff. She believes there is a greater connection, fulfillment, and success that comes from the art of coaching, which can create sustainable transformation. Her own personal development and journey has been rigorous, so she has transformed the way in which she lives, works, and leads. 

As a wife and mother, she has a deep commitment to building strong communities and changing the culture in a positive way so that individuals can thrive, discover their visions and goals, and remove personal and professional barriers.