About Us
We are the first Faith-based & Peer-Led Recovery Community Organization in Connecticut
As Connecticut’s first faith-based, peer-led recovery community organization, New Life II was founded on the belief that healing is most powerful when guided by lived experience, compassion, and community. Our work is led by people who understand recovery firsthand and are committed to walking alongside others with dignity, understanding, and hope. Grounded in faith and rooted in service, we exist to create pathways to stability, purpose, and lasting recovery for individuals and families in our local neighborhoods. Our peer-led approach empowers individuals to become leaders in their own recovery and agents of change in their communities.
We are committed to:
Providing culturally relevant, trauma-informed support
Offering safe, peer-supported recovery housing
Supporting individuals reentering society after incarceration
Centering those most impacted by systemic barriers
Our Story
New Life II was birthed out of its parent ministry, New Life I, a recovery home in New Britain, Connecticut. More than 20 years ago, New Life II’s directors, Pastors Dana and Evelyn Smith, each spent nearly two years there on their own journeys toward sobriety, healing, and restored health. Through years of sustained recovery and lived experience, they learned not only how to remain sober, but how to live out recovery with purpose, wholeness, and hope. In 2016, they founded New Life II to help others find the same freedom they themselves had experienced.
Our ministry was created to serve individuals who have been told that addiction or mental health challenges define the limits of their lives. Having witnessed firsthand the power of transformation, we believe that change is possible for anyone. Grounded in faith and guided by lived experience, New Life II exists to introduce individuals to a different pathway—one rooted in dignity, support, and the belief that recovery can lead to a full and meaningful life.
photo credit: Air Land Sea Media
Community
The vision for New Life II has always been to be more than just a recovery home. Pastors Dana and Evelyn envisioned their ministry to be about community–about learning to heal together; to support and encourage one another, and to teach one another how to build, maintain, and restore relationships in a healthy way.
Training
They also wanted their ministry to include education and training, to equip participants with the tools and skills they need in order to re-enter society successfully, and to educate the community and reduce the stigma associated with addiction and mental health.
Faith
Above all, Pastors Dana and Evelyn see their recovery community as a different kind of church. There is no format or formality at New Life II. No judgement, no pressure to conform to a particular standard. It’s a place to come as you are and meet Jesus where you are. All are welcome no matter what faith, belief, religion, or denomination. If you have any questions, please email, text, or call us!
Rooted in Faith. Driven by Recovery. United in Community.
Committed to Recovery + Inclusion
At New Life II Recovery Community Organization, our mission is to provide a compassionate, faith-based environment where individuals from all walks of life can find support and empowerment on their journey to recovery. We are committed to inclusivity, welcoming everyone regardless of background, status, race, or religion. Through peer-led programs and comprehensive services, we aim to foster personal growth, resilience, and a renewed sense of purpose, guiding each person toward a healthier and more fulfilling life.
The Power of Faith + Community
New Life II Recovery Community Organization stands as a beacon of hope and transformation in the greater New Britain area. Founded by Pastors Dana and Evelyn Smith, our organization is built upon the principles of community, healing, and mutual support. We believe in the power of coming together to learn, heal, and uplift one another, creating a nurturing environment where individuals can rebuild their lives.
Get Involved
We invite community members to join us in our mission. Whether through volunteering, participating in our training programs, or supporting our initiatives, there are numerous ways to get involved and make a difference.
For more information, please contact us at 860-371-8271 or pastorevelyn@newlife2.org.
Together, we can create a community where recovery has no limits, and every individual has the opportunity for a new beginning.
Faith is at the Heart of Our Work
At New Life II, our faith is infused in our perspective, our outlook, and everything that we do. Most importantly, it guides how we treat and view other people:
We live by The Great Commission: Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. (Matthew 28:19-20)
We live by The Greatest Commandment: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself. (Matthew 22:36-40)
Our Leadership
New Life II is led by dedicated individuals who bring both professional expertise and lived experience to their work. Our leadership team is deeply committed to recovery, service, and community, guiding the organization with compassion, integrity, and accountability. Grounded in faith and shaped by firsthand understanding, they work to ensure that every program reflects dignity, inclusion, and the belief that lasting recovery is possible.
Pastor Dana Smith
Executive Director
Founder and Executive Director of New Life II, with over 20 years of experience in recovery, reentry, and community outreach. Co-developer of the Integrated Healing Facilitator (IHF) model, recognized by DMHAS as meeting SAMHSA core competencies. Nationally certified peer specialist and trainer, leading statewide and community-based workforce development.
Key Impact:
• 1,000+ individuals engaged through recovery and outreach
• 500+ trained in overdose response
• 100+ returning citizens supported annually
Dana is a faith-driven leader, peer advocate, and founder of New Life II, a Black, peer-run organization committed to recovery, reentry, and neighborhood transformation. With more than 25 years of lived experience as a person in recovery, Dana believes people are not defined by their past but by their God-given potential. Their work is rooted in restoring dignity, hope, and purpose in neighborhoods most impacted by addiction, incarceration, and systemic disinvestment.
Through New Life II, Dana leads recovery housing, peer support, prevention education, and workforce and financial empowerment initiatives that meet people where they are—in neighborhoods, shelters, churches, and on the streets.
Dana’s leadership is grounded in faith, accountability, and action. Known for a hands-on, people-first approach, Dana teaches that true transformation happens in neighborhoods, not systems alone. Guided by faith and service, Dana continues to build pathways from survival to stability, from recovery to purpose, and from brokenness to restoration.
Pastor Evelyn Smith
Co-Executive Director
Pastor Evelyn Smith is a faith-driven leader, Director of New Life II, and a cornerstone of one of Connecticut’s first faith-based, peer-led recovery community organizations. With over 20 years of leadership and ministry experience, she brings compassion, structure, and a deep commitment to healing individuals and families impacted by addiction, mental health challenges, and reentry.
As the Director of Connecticut’s first peer-run respite house, Pastor Evelyn leads a trauma-informed, peer-centered model that provides individuals with a safe space to stabilize, reset, and begin their journey toward wellness. Her leadership extends across New Life II’s recovery housing network, peer support services, and neighborhood-based outreach—ensuring that care is accessible, culturally relevant, and rooted in real-life experience.
Pastor Evelyn is also a trainer and mentor, equipping others to step into leadership roles within recovery and peer support. She plays a key role in shaping programs that train individuals to open and operate recovery homes, strengthening neighborhoods from within.
Her work is grounded in faith, service, and the belief that transformation is possible for everyone. As a neighborhood leader and advocate, Pastor Evelyn Smith continues to walk alongside those in need—helping them rebuild their lives with dignity, purpose, and hope.
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New Life II Recovery Community Center
117 West Main Street
New Britain, CT 06051
FAX: 860-223-4670