Where we’ve sent Buddies: AL AZ CA CT FL GA IA IL IN KS KY LA MA MD MI MN MO MS NC NH NJ NY NV OH OR OK PA RI SD TN TX UT VA WA WI WV Australia, Canada, Columbia, England, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Mexico, Netherlands, Scotland, Wales Recipient Feedback: “What you all do is amazing and it really makes a difference in lives of so many. Your hard work is definitely appreciated. I love having it as a reminder that you don't do recovery alone and people you don't even know are here to support you. My Recovery Buddie is something that I can keep with me forever and I will be able to look at years from now and know that I did it. I recovered.” –Morgan, NJ “Getting a Buddie meant the world to me. I received it a time when I needed it the most. I felt lost and the Buddie helped me to not feel so alone.” –Iesha, IN “[Receiving my Recovery Buddie] really brightened my day at a very dark and difficult time for me. You are amazing to bless people with support, encouragement, love and care.” –Becky, UK

Contact Information: Website: http://recoverybuddies.blogspot.com E-mail: [email protected] Twitter: @RecoveryBuddies Address: Recovery Buddies Project c/o Bethany Mills 4107 S Adams St Marion, IN 46953 Phone: (762) 333-2691 Find us on Facebook!

HISTORY—How the Recovery Buddies Project started, as told by Bethany: In spring of 2008 I was hospitalized for my eating disorder. It was one of the scariest and loneliest times of my life. Treatment was thousands of miles from home and so I did not have visitors like the other patients. Before I left for the hospital my friends presented me with a pink duck named Flynn. She was to go with me to the hospital and be something I could cling to through all of the hard moments. She was with me during all of the hard meals, weigh-ins, Ensure®, and tearful therapy sessions. She was there to remind me how loved I was. With her I didn’t feel quite as alone. When I got home from the hospital I wanted to be able to give back by helping others feel that same sense of love. So in August 2008, The Recovery Buddies Project was born. It was my way to send people love, mail, and something to hold on to. Something to remind them they are not alone in this fight, and that they are loved. Today, the Recovery Buddies Project sends out Buddies to people all around the world who are in recovery from mental illnesses and addictions. We strive to remind people that they are not alone in their addictions and mental illnesses, and that they don't have to be alone in their recovery.

Frequently Asked Questions Wow, that is cool! How do I get one? Go to http://recoverybuddies.blogspot.com and fill out the form at the top of the page. Who can receive one? Anyone in recovery from an addiction or mental illness can receive one. Does it cost anything? Not at all! Who sees my address and other info submitted on the form? The only people to see your personal information are the handpicked team of knitters on the Recovery Buddies Team. How can I help? Donations: We run completely on donations, so if you would like to donate, you can go to the Recovery Buddies Project website and click on the donate button located in the sidebar of the blog. If you wish to send a check instead, please make it out to Recovery Buddies Project. Please note that donations are NOT tax deductable. Knit a Buddie!: The waiting list for Recovery Buddies is very long and the Recovery Buddies Team is currently very small, so it can be a while before someone receives their Buddie. If you would like to help us out by knitting or crocheting a Buddie, we would certainly appreciate it! For information on making a Buddie, please go to http://twurl.nl/0v8npf. Are you a 501(c)3 non-profit? Not yet. We are working towards this, though.

Who is the Recovery Buddies Team? Bethany Mills (founder, president) Bethany is currently a full time student at Baylor University majoring in Pre-Art Therapy. Bethany is passionate about helping hurting people heal through art. Bethany is 22 and lives in IN. She is crazy about knitting and photography. Her favorite way to spend an evening is with a knitting project, a cold Mt. Dew, and an audio book. Allison Romano (vice-president) Allison joined the Recovery Buddies Team in February of 2009. Allison is passionate about advocacy and promoting awareness for mental illnesses and other causes. She is 24 and lives in NY. Her hobbies include playing piano, knitting, reading, enjoying the outdoors, and trying to be funny. Mary Hollis Mary joined the Recovery Buddies team in the summer of 2010. She is excited to be involved in a group that is helping people who are recovering. She is 26 and lives in VA. Most of her time right now is devoted to studying to become a mathematics teacher at Shepherd University in WV.