RICHMOND, Va. β CARITAS held a coin ceremony Thursday night, honoring individuals who have successfully completed their addiction recovery programs and reached alumni status in the past year.
CARITAS is a local nonprofit organization that offers low-barrier access to recovery programs. The ceremony was attended by hundreds of people, including more than 50 alumni who have completed the program.
Around 35 people received their recovery coins during Thursday night's ceremony. In the last 20 years, CARITAS has helped serve more than 10,000 people in their journey toward sobriety.
One of the recipients, Ryan Mills, told CBS 6 what the evening means to him.
"I've never really had a sense of belonging, I never really felt like I fit in," Mills said. "Coming to the Healing Place program, and now being an alumni and part of the alumni association forever guarantees me a seat in a brotherhood which I never once thought fathomable. They say the opposite of addiction is connection, and I have that connection here through the Healing Place."
September is National Recovery Month, which began in 1989 to promote and support treatment and recovery from addiction.
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