For many former addicts, the keys to staying sober are joining a supportive community and finding healthy ways to strengthen their bodies and minds. The Phoenix offers both – for free!
The nonprofit has already provided hope and healing to thousands of recovering addicts, and not even the novel coronavirus pandemic can stop its momentum.
Scott Strode founded the organization in 2007 after trading drugs and alcohol for fitness. He knows how hard it is to overcome addiction without support, so he created an incredible community to help foster connections.
The Phoenix offers a variety of free activities, from group workouts to recovery meetings. According to its website, “The cost of membership is 48 hours of sobriety.” The reward? Pride, strength, friendship, and continued sobriety!
“When we face that greater adversity of that workout together, we build a bond. And in that bond, we find a place where we can support each other in our recovery journey,” Scott told CNN. “There’s something really special about finding a community where you can just be open about all the challenges you’ve faced.”
When COVID-19 forced The Phoenix to close its gyms, it kept its members connected with virtual classes instead. That’s when something amazing happened!
They began reaching more people than ever before – in the U.S. and four other countries! What’s more, the nonprofit has been sending recorded workouts to prisons across the country so individuals serving sentences can join in.
“We hadn’t done virtual programming before, but we pretty quickly learned that it allowed The Phoenix to offer programs to rural communities that we historically couldn’t reach,” Scott added. “The idea that people can find recovery support through Phoenix now, really almost anytime, anywhere in the world is really exciting. It’ll just allow it to reach so many more people because of this virtual platform.”
Addiction is powerful, but so are the people fighting it together! If you’re interested in joining this community, you can find available classes here.
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