About

About

Our Story

Friends of Recovery, United (FOR U) was formed as a 501 (c) 3 charitable organization in 2016.

Our mission is to provide opportunity by supporting the needs of participants in the Cook County Problem-Solving Courts. Our vision is to restore our community by strengthening the effectiveness and reach of the Cook County Problem-Solving Courts. We believe in providing hope through inclusiveness and opportunity for all.

Our Story

When former Drug Court Judge Thomas Panichi and former Drug Court Coordinator Susan Fasan retired, they got together with a former probation officer and his business partner (who was in recovery) and talked about how they could give back. Their experience in the problem-solving courts was missing pieces that would help participants be more successful. For example, they needed transportation to get to all of the places they were required to attend – court, probation, treatment, support groups, etc. Public funding was available for treatment but not for transitional housing. Some participants needed toiletries, or food, or identification. We decided we would fill in the gaps so that participants had a better chance of success. The four of them incorporated FOR U in 2016 to help these courts.

They met with all of the problem-solving court teams and explained their mission. When a court has a participant with special needs that cannot be met with other resources, they ask FOR U to step in. Friends of Recovery has provided pocket calendars, adult coloring books and puzzle books, journals, small incentives, bus passes, toiletries, food, money for medications, money for state identification, but primarily they provide recovery home housing and assistance with security deposits and initial month’s rent.  Housing and employment are critical factors in recovery. We have also provided emergency housing for a few situations of domestic abuse. To date, we have provided over 80 months of housing, and thousands of bus and Metra passes. Currently, we are providing tuition for a court participant to attend classes to become a certified addictions counselor.

Everyone’s circumstances are unique. Friends of Recovery believes that if we can provide items or services in order for someone to recover successfully, we will do our best to help. We believe everyone deserves a chance to become healthy and productive.

Our organization is 100% volunteer. We try to keep our costs down, so all donations go directly to the people who need our help.

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Board of Directors

Michal Bramley

Retired Cook County Probation Officer

Susan Fasan

Retired Probation Administrator

Zach Feranec

Account manager and person in recovery

Layreese McGee

Drug Court Graduate, and licensed real estate agent

Michael Panichi

Vice-President, Platinum Pest Solutions

Hon. Thomas Panichi (ret.)

Retired Cook County Judge

Renee Thibault

Assistant Attorney General

Anthony Haapala

Technical Integration Specialist

Jordan Schultz

Property Manager

Testimonials

Hi there my name is Amber and I was, yes, WAS, a drug addict addicted to heroin and also 4 months pregnant.  I was alone and lost with 5 other kids waiting for their mom to come home.  I knew if I kept getting high I would end up back in jail so that’s what I did because I was at the end of the road with nothing left.  I knew jail would be the ONLY thing that could save me and my unborn baby.  The judge thought it would be a great thing to have me in a recovery setting to deliver my baby and to still stay in a facility and continue to get the help I needed.  I went into the treatment center to the inpatient part.  I spent some time there and had the baby and named her Bella.  My next problem is I needed to transfer down to the recovery home but I did not know how I would pay for this.  I was introduced through my drug court team to Friends of Recovery.  What a blessing it was.  They paid for my ENTIRE stay.  No hassles no issues no questions.  If it wasn’t for Friends of Recovery, I don’t know where I would be.  I was clean and sober for some time yes, but I was NOT ready to hit the real world yet.  I still needed more treatment.  See with us addicts most people think great 30 days, 60 days, 90 days, oh they will be ok.  NO, we addicts need 6 months or longer locked up or locked down to get our minds right.  So I am now a little over one year clean.  I am in my father’s house with 5 out of 6 children.  I just graduated from my college classes for a community health worker and I am looking for a job.  I am so thankful and grateful for Friends of Recovery for all the support and help they gave me without even meeting me in person. Their program is so wonderful and meaningful.  I mean, who knows where I would be right now.  Dead or in jail, maybe on the streets if it wasn’t for them.  And I owe no money back it was all out of the kindness of their hearts to help a stranger drug addict like myself.  THANK YOU FRIENDS OF RECOVERY!

Amber