September 8, 2022 at 11:07 a.m.
Rhinelander woman honored for work as AmeriCorps recovery coach
Rhinelander woman honored for work as AmeriCorps recovery coach
Earlier this month, during the 2022 AmeriCorps State and National Symposium, Brown was presented with the national Excellence in AmeriCorps Award for the Most Impactful Member Service, according to a Serve Wisconsin press release.
According to the release, Brown served as an AmeriCorps member for the last three years with Marshfield Clinic Health System (MCHS) AmeriCorps - Recovery Corps, and before that, for a year with the Tribal AmeriCorps Program. She was one of four honorees from across the country, two individuals and two programs nationwide, who were recognized for their AmeriCorps service during the ceremony. Prior to winning this national award, Brown was also honored with the 2022 AmeriCorps Member of the Year award at the Governor's Service Awards in Madison on May 26.
Examining her growth during her three years with Recovery Corps, Brown said, "AmeriCorps has helped make me who I am today. It has changed my life tremendously. It's not only gave me the opportunities to be there for others who are struggling, but it has given me the motivation and dedication to change my own life. I'm doing things today I never thought possible, from speaking at public events and sharing my own personal journey...I've learned a lot. I've gained a lot of certifications and I've been through amazing trainings, which have also molded me in my own recovery. I will celebrate five years clean on September 12, so this has just been an experience I will never forget."
Brown concluded her fourth year of service this August, which is the maximum an individual can serve as an AmeriCorps member, the release states. She will be building upon the experience she gained by working as a certified peer support specialist at the Human Service Center.
"Without this program and without all the things that I've done and learned, I wouldn't be where I am today..." she said. "Paying it forward and doing the service work has been a phenomenal experience, and I will continue my journey through service work in a little bit different of an avenue...I will never forget these last four years because they will always be the first four years that molded the rest of my life."
"Angel's service spans over four years where she has served as a recovery coach for three of her terms, and as a mentor for students with a tribal AmeriCorps program for a year," said Sonali Nijhawan, AmeriCorps State and National director. "In her service to her students and her clients, Angel has been a steady source of strength, of hope, and of support. We are so inspired by the impact that she has had."
During her first year as an AmeriCorps member, Brown served as a mentor for students and supported children in multiple classrooms and programs in Lac du Flambeau with the Tribal AmeriCorps Program. Following that experience, she began serving with MCHS Recovery Corps. Their AmeriCorps members receive training to become recovery coaches to assist individuals with substance abuse disorders along their journey to recovery.
Brown brought her own experience in recovery to helping her clients over the last three years, serving clients throughout Oneida County during her first year as a recovery coach and supporting clients from multiple counties in northern Wisconsin at The Human Service Center in Rhinelander for the last two years. She has also been a powerful advocate for those in recovery by sharing her own recovery story at different organizations and events, the release states. Brown and her daughter delivered a powerful presentation at the 2021 Hope Conference to hundreds of people, highlighting her own experience finding sobriety and working her recovery journey and the impact it has on family members.
"It's been a very wonderful four years. It's had its ups and downs, it has had its challenges, but I've met some great people," she said. "I've helped people who are success stories. And that's been the best part of doing all of this is those success stories, because they're very far and few in between."
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