About Us
New Life II is the first Black-Owned, Faith-based & Peer-Led RCO in the state of Connecticut
Our Story
New Life II was birthed out of its parent ministry, New Life I, a recovery home in New Britain, CT. NLII’s directors, Pastors Dana and Evelyn Smith, each spent nearly two years there getting clean, sober, healthy, and healed, more than 20 years ago. After years of sobriety and learning how to live our their recovery to the fullest, they opened New Life II in 2016 to help others overcome addiction and receive the freedom they had walked in themselves.
Our ministry was created to serve individuals who were told that addiction and mental health issues are all that their life has to offer them. Because we know that God can change anyone and everyone just like He changed us, we are here to introduce individuals to a different pathway to recovery. New Life II is one of those paths.
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, call us!
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 leadership is comprised of people who just want to serve for their own personal reasons, and it makes our leadership one of the most loving, caring, compassionate mixes of people any organization could hope to have.
Pastor Dana Smith
Executive Director
Pastor and Executive Director of New Life II recovery house – a home for men who struggle with mental health, addiction and trauma. For the past 15 years Dana has worked in the community; helping to organizing basketball tournaments, family events and has founded a men’s group called unshakable Men. Dana also assists with feeding the homeless, and is part of the Greater New Britain Re-entry round table. Dana is trained as an Integrated Healing Coach, National certified peer specialist, recovery coach, recovery support specialist, and suicide prevention gatekeeper instructor.
Pastor Evelyn Smith
Finance & Recovery Housing Director
Co-Executive Director at New Life ll. Evelyn has dedicated the last 4 years to New Life ll – a men’s Christian recovery home. Evelyn has been a Pastor for 15 years and specializes in working with individuals in Recovery. Mrs. Smith is trained as an Integrated Healing Coach. She assists participants that struggle with addiction, mental health and trauma. New Life ll is in collaboration with CMHA, ABH, DCF and Klingberg Family Center. These partnerships have allowed Evelyn to further her training, and contribute to greater assisting New Life II participants on many different levels.
Minister Maggie Taylor
Program Manager
Maggie is a Recovery Support Specialist, and trained as an Integrated Healing Coach, who has a Bachelor Degree in Human Services with a minor in Psychology. She has been volunteering at New Life II since 2016. Maggie feels that it was an act of faith that brought her to the peer movement. “I could not imagine working with people in any other capacity outside of the peer role; my hope is that I am able to combine my faith, education, and lived experience to communicate issues that broaden the perspectives of both, people living with diagnoses, and their communities.”
Sou Thammavong
Operations Manager
As a daughter of refugees, Sou understands what it means to be seen and not heard. She has worked in the greater Hartford area as a case manager, academic advisor, program coordinator, and consultant since 2008. Being a community advocate motivated Sou to complete her Master’s in Social Work Policy Practice. Her work with diverse groups affirms her belief that policies must be drivenby the neighborhoods they serve.
Christopher Montes
Board of Directors
Christopher Montes has dedicated his professional life to the service of children and families for the last 34 years in both community and clinical settings. His career employment has been at Klingberg Family Centers and as Director of Youth & Family Services/Community Services in New Britain, as well as a private practice in Avon. He has also taught Child Development and Lifespan Developmental Psychology at Central Connecticut State University each semester for the past 21 years. In addition to teaching, he is currently working at Farmington Community Services Department and at the CCSU Institute for Municipal and Regional Policy – Children of Incarcerated Parents initiative after recently retiring from the City of New Britain.
Samuel Simmons
Board of Directors
Sthefany Morales
Board of Directors
Sthefany has dedicated her life to the customer service/Administration field. Sthefany has gained intensive knowledge on the field through her job experience at Macy’s, Nilda Negron Law Offices, and the Center for Human Development. Sthefany is currently finishing her Social Services Aid Certification at Capital Community College. The partnership with New Life II is allowing Sthefany to gain knowledge on the social service field and allowing her to network with other agencies to expand her knowledge on the field.
Our Recovery Home
- Independent Living
- Fully Furnished House
- Double Rooms; singles available
- Cable television
- Internet Connection
- On Transit Route
- Shopping Nearby
- Local NA/AA Meetings
- Offered Church Service
Our Recovery Community Center is a safe haven for people within our community. We offer a Living Room like environment where people stop in, say hello, chat, make a coffee, or simply take a break. Our center acts as a hub for connecting people to what they need most.
Each person who enters our Recovery Community Center is greeted by a trained Integrated Healing Facilitator (IHF). Our IHFs view people holistically and through a social justice lens. They act as navigators who support people in discovering recovery paths that work for them. Our IHF’S have real-life experience in, or with, recovery. Whether they are a volunteer, a family member of a recovering person, IHFs are critically important when providing emotional and informational support to those in recovery at New Life II. IHF’s offer hope and are living examples of what is possible. No appointments necessary, support provided on a walk-in basis.
In addition to person centered support from our IHF’s we offer:
- Community computer lab, printer, and landline phone use to enhance technology equity withinour service populations.
- Harm Reduction/Safe Use Kits. Neighborhood Events that are based on and created to meet the needs of our neighborhood.
Events are free and open to the public, and have included:
- Introductions to holistic healing modalities: Sound Healing, Wellness Journalling
- Information/resource sessions: Pardons Info, Problem Gambling, Harm Reduction
- Family Enrichment: Movie watch parties, Arts & Crafts
- Basic needs giveaways: winter coats/gear, hygiene products, connection to food banks/pantries
New Life II past events, trainings, and visitors to our Recovery Community Center
created by Mitzy Sky – Poet l Author l Storyteller l Recovery Support Specialist l Video-creator l Writer
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New Life II Recovery Community Center
117 West Main Street
New Britain, CT 06051
860-371-8271 | 860-371-8287
FAX: 860-223-4670