How Service with Recovery Corps Helped Dani Discover Her Life’s Path

When Dani joined Recovery Corps in early 2022, she was at a crossroads. A decade-long career in cosmetology had just been put on an indefinite pause thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic. And like many others during that time, she found herself reevaluating everything. 

“I’d been doing hair for ten years,” she says. “It was all about helping people feel better about themselves. In recovery work I’m doing the same thing, just in a different way.” 

Finding Her Voice and Building Her Future

With more than a year of sustained recovery herself, Dani decided that she could do the most good for her community by joining Recovery Corps. She served under the guidance of her site supervisor, Dave, who saw potential in Dani before she even did herself.  

“He told me, ‘You’ve got something special. You’re very personable and you should go to school for this.’ That conversation changed everything.” 

When she realized service could lead to a rewarding new career, Dani began to thrive in her role. She coordinated national meetings, led sessions with hundreds of participants, and began building a network of recovery professionals across the country. Juggling different tasks and moving pieces was hard for her at first, but she rose to the occasion.  

New Audiences, New Opportunities

This year, Dani served at Minneapolis College as part of the Collegiate Recovery Program (CRP). The new environment presented new challenges and opportunities for growth. How do you connect with college students for whom recovery may not be a top priority? 

“College is stressful. People are juggling school, jobs, parenting. Recovery can take a back seat,” she explains. “So we met people where they were.” 

Over the course of the service year, Dani and her fellow member, Christine, built something rare: a safe, welcoming space where students in recovery could be themselves. Over and over, students would report that CRP didn’t just feel like another school office. It felt like home.  

Inspiring Change in Young People

Hearing feedback like that affirmed that Dani had made the right choice, both for her AmeriCorps service and her future career. One student she met at one of her many outreach events still stands out.  

“You could tell he needed support in just a quick conversation,” she says. “I invited him to a meeting, and he opened up, got emotional, and found community. He discovered one of his classmates was also in recovery!” She remembers. “That bond he made and that moment reminded me, this work matters.” 

For Dani, Recovery Corps provided a path forward and the tools she needs to succeed. She’s now completing her associate degree with plans to earn her bachelor’s down the road. With her experience supporting people in recovery and the skills she has gained through service, Dani plans on becoming a licensed social worker.  

“Recovery Corps was my foundation,” she says. “It gave me the confidence, the training, and the support to keep going. It gave me purpose.” 

Recovery Corps can be the perfect first step toward a career helping others. For people like Dani just at the start of their career, the program has positions just for you! Learn more about service and see openings near you at recovery-ampact.icims.com/jobs.