“The community is the gathering place where people connect, build relationships, and support each other.”
– merrybody
I want to begin with something personal, because I believe honesty is one of the most powerful tools we have in recovery. As so many of our readers know, I am a person in long-term recovery. That means I know — not just intellectually, but in my bones — what it feels like to be utterly alone in the darkness of addiction. And I know what it feels like the moment someone reaches out a hand and says, simply: I see you. You are not alone. That moment changed everything for me. It is the reason TriCircle exists.
The Power of Connection
The research has long confirmed what those of us in recovery already know in our hearts: addiction thrives in isolation. The antidote to addiction is not sobriety alone — it is connection. It is community. It is the quiet courage of one human being choosing to show up for another, again and again, even when it is hard.
At TriCircle, connection has always been more than a program goal. It is our foundation. From our very first days in Wallingford, we believed that no one should have to walk the path of recovery alone — and that the strength of a community is measured not by those who flourish at its center, but by how fiercely it reaches toward those at its jagged edges. Together WE are Stronger!
A Decade of Building Bridges
As we approach our ten-year anniversary, I find myself in a state of profound gratitude — not just for how far we have come, but for who we have walked alongside. TriCircle did not get here alone. We got here through the relationships, collaborations, and partnerships we have been privileged to build across Wallingford and the broader Connecticut recovery community.
We have sat at tables with town leaders and treatment providers, with faith communities and school counselors, with emergency responders, businesses and housing advocates. We have linked arms with peer support specialists, harm reduction organizations, and family support networks. Every one of those connections has made us more capable of serving you — the people who matter most.
These collaborations are not just strategic — they are sacred. They are a living demonstration that no single organization, no single person, holds all the answers. Recovery is inherently relational, and so must be the systems that support it. When we partner with others, we are modeling for our community exactly what we ask of the people we serve: the willingness to be vulnerable, to ask for help, and to trust that Together WE are Stronger!
Looking Ahead with Hope
Ten years ago, TriCircle was a vision shared by a small group of people who refused to accept that members of our community should struggle in silence. Today, that vision has grown into something far greater than any of us imagined — because of you, and because of every partner who chose to believe in it alongside us.
As we celebrate this milestone and look toward the next decade, our compass remains unchanged: connection first, always. Because I have seen what happens when someone who has been lost finally feels found. I have lived it. And there is nothing — nothing — more worth building toward.
Thank you for being part of this circle. Thank you for choosing connection.
With deep gratitude and hope,
Ana
Stay tuned as we continue counting down to July 26, 2026 — we can’t wait to celebrate with you.