Recovery Café Muncie
50-Year Anniversary | Community Partner Spotlight
The 50th anniversary featured partner for December is Recovery Café Muncie. Established in 2021, the organization is part of a national network of Recovery Cafés that serves people who have experienced trauma and the results of trauma like homelessness, substance use disorder, addiction, and other mental health challenges. Each Recovery Café commits to creating a community space that offers love, support, equality, and inclusion to people desiring recovery.
The Café in Muncie is open Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday from 11 a.m.–3 p.m. in the basement of Commonway Church at 201 East Charles Street. Membership is an important part of the community, and Café members commit to attending supportive small group “recovery circles” and giving back to the group. Every person, from staff to volunteers, identifies as a person pursuing recovery of some kind.
Alicia Wilson, a neighborhood ambassador with the Open Door Connections initiative, is a weekly presence at Recovery Café. She’s there to help people connect with healthcare services and support resources, as she does at other community sites in Muncie. The Café also has hosted Open Door flu and Covid vaccine events, health literacy presentations, and insurance enrollment.
“Individuals attend Recovery Café Muncie for various reasons, including the need to connect with healthcare services. Our partnership with Open Door is an excellent example of meeting needs, removing barriers, and improving lives through collaboration,” said Abby Gluvna, Café Program Manager. “Individuals who walk through our doors are connected not only to Open Door’s medical health services, but also the emotional and social supports vital to long-term recovery and wellbeing.”
Interestingly, Recovery Café Muncie was not on the initial list of Connections community sites. Early on, the focus was on four neighborhoods circling downtown. As the Connections team developed relationships in the neighborhoods, they were often asked if they would be downtown at the Café. The team quickly realized that it is an important community hub and pursued a partnership.
Another unique feature is Recovery Café Muncie’s membership requirement. The Café is warm and welcoming to every person who comes through their doors. To protect this healing environment, service providers cannot be mere spectators; they are urged to participate in café activities. They may not have experienced substance use disorder or homelessness, but “everyone is always recovering from something,” to quote Café leadership.
As part of their membership, Open Door Connections made a commitment to actively contribute to the overall Café community, including participating in recovery social events and celebrations. This has led to new levels of trust with community friends and a strengthened partnership overall.
“When we work together, we can amplify community health and recovery efforts,” said Abby. “As partners, Recovery Café Muncie and Open Door are building a healthier, more supportive, and more compassionate Muncie where people in recovery can truly thrive.”
2024 marks the 50th anniversary of Open Door Health Services operating in East Central Indiana! While caring for community members under different names during that time, the organization has seen a rich history of patient-focused care and intentional relationship-building with community partners.
To celebrate this history, each month we're featuring the story of Open Door's partnership with an area organization. Thank you for helping us celebrate the impact we make TOGETHER on quality of life.