Grants Pass, OR – A new chapter in recovery support is beginning in Josephine County as a dedicated group of volunteers prepares to open the doors of Recovery Café Grants Pass, a safe haven for those struggling with trauma, addiction, homelessness, and mental health challenges. Modeled after the successful Recovery Café in Medford and backed by the national Recovery Café Network, this grassroots effort aims to provide long-term, community-based support for people at all stages of recovery.
The first step for the new Café will be a New Member Orientation on the evening of April 29, marking the formal start of services in the Grants Pass area. In just five months of preparation, volunteers have completed extensive training through the Recovery Café Network and laid the foundation for what they hope will be a transformative resource in the community.
The Recovery Café model is built around peer-to-peer support and radical hospitality. At its core is the belief that every person, no matter their past, is worthy of love and respect. Through weekly Recovery Circles, classes, shared meals, and volunteer opportunities, members build trust, accountability, and hope—all in a warm, stigma-free setting.
“This isn’t just a place to get help—it’s a place to be part of a healing community,” said Julie Hartford, Executive Director of Recovery Café Grants Pass. “I first discovered the concept while touring the Medford Café. The atmosphere was welcoming, the people were kind, and I immediately knew this was something Grants Pass needed. That’s when we pulled together a leadership team and got to work.”
Hartford, who also serves on the leadership team of PATH (Partners Assisting the Homeless), has long witnessed the community’s struggle with substance use and homelessness. “Every city council meeting seemed to include concerns about addiction,” she said. “People want solutions. This is one that works.”
And the numbers support her claim. While national studies show that 40% to 60% of people relapse within five years of recovery, the Recovery Café model has shown powerful results. According to the Recovery Café Network, 97% of members increased their desire to stay in recovery, and 91% reported the Café helped them avoid relapse.
Founded in Seattle in 2004, the Recovery Café Network now includes 77 Cafés across the U.S. and Canada, with Grants Pass proudly joining as an Emerging Member. This status provides the local team with two years of mentorship, materials, and guided training from experienced leaders, helping ensure their success.
Recovery Café Grants Pass will offer a variety of services, all free to members. These include peer-led Recovery Circles, classes on relapse prevention, emotional wellness, and life skills, healthy food and drinks, referrals to outside services, and opportunities to give back to the community through volunteering and leadership roles.
To join, members must commit to three core principles: being drug and alcohol free while at the Café, participating in a weekly Recovery Circle, and contributing to the Café community. This model of mutual respect and responsibility sets Recovery Café apart from traditional treatment programs.
However, the Café still needs support. The team is currently seeking a permanent location, volunteers, and donations to help get the facility up and running. Despite these early-stage needs, the team is optimistic that the community will rally around this cause.
“People in Grants Pass want change,” said Hartford. “They want to help but don’t always know how. The Recovery Café gives everyone a way to make a real, lasting difference.”
To learn more, get involved, or sign up for the April 29th orientation, visit recoverycafegrantspass.org, call 503-567-1237, or email info@recoverycafegrantspass.org. You can also follow their journey on Facebook at Recovery Café Grants Pass – Hope and Recovery on the Rogue.
As the community comes together to support this promising initiative, hope is brewing on the Rogue—one cup of coffee, one conversation, and one healing moment at a time.