When Sara walked through the doors of Recovery Café Longmont, she was two days sober. “I think it was a Tuesday,” she says. “I met with Morgan that day, came back Friday, and did member paperwork. And now I am four months sober.” 

What she found at the Café wasn’t judgment, or distance, or a checklist of who she needed to become. Instead, it was people who knew her. “The most beneficial thing in my life has been having someone who doesn’t judge me,” Sara shares. “It’s like a family. People who I don’t think even know my name know my name.” 

At its core, the Café feels like family – whether she has something heavy to share or just wants to be around people. There’s so much laughter and goofiness, and moments like the Thanksgiving dinner that remind everyone they don’t have to be alone. 

“You know me, and I feel loved.”

Unknowingly, Sara nearly echoed a quote from Recovery Café founder Killian Noe that sits at the heart of the Recovery Café model: “To be known without being loved is terrifying. To be loved without being known has no power to change us. But to be deeply known and deeply loved transforms us.”

Sara talks about reconnecting with people in her life, healing relationships, and learning how to stay when things get hard instead of running. “In the past, every time I got sober, I ran away because it was hard,” she says. “But here, I’ve built the tools I need – and it’s sticking.” Sara feels supported by staff like Sabrina and Morgan – people who understand her history and remind her she’s not alone. “Not being turned away,” she says, “is such a great feeling. This is just a place I love to be.”

“I wish I could wave a magic wand and replicate this place in every town,” she says. “I know there are other people who care – but this is different.”

Because this time, it’s not just sobriety she’s found – it’s belonging.