Eleventh Heroes in Recovery Award Presented at Foundations Recovery Network’s National Event

FRN’s Innovations in Recovery Conference trains treatment professionals and highlights everyday heroes in the recovery community.

San Diego, Calif. | May 2, 2017 – Heroes in Recovery is proud to announce the recipient of its biannual Heroes in Recovery Award at Foundations Recovery Network’s Innovations in Recovery Conference. The award is presented to everyday heroes who aid in the cause of treatment for addiction and mental health issues. Rob Waggener, Vice President of Addiction Services for Foundations Recovery Network, presented the award to this years’ recipient, Lindsey Greinke.

Greinke’s struggle with identity began in early childhood and turned to self-harm at age 12, when her depression and anxiety became unmanageable. Self-harm led to substance use in her teens, and Greinke was addicted to OxyContin and heroin by the time she was 17. When she graduated to heroin, she lost everything in a span of just four months, including custody of her son. Greinke credits her faith in God for giving her the strength to seek help. Despite the hurdles, she entered treatment in 2011, waking up sober for the first time since she was 16 years old.

Today, Greinke’s mission is to lead people to freedom by helping them discover their purpose in life — regardless of their struggle. In 2013, she launched Hope Soldiers, a foundation that exists to bring awareness, restore hope and love people back to life. She has also single-handedly helped more than 200 people get into treatment across the U.S. in the past three years, mainly those without insurance. She also hosts annual events in Washington State, drawing over 1,000 people with a message of hope and keynote speakers like former NFL wide receiver Trent Shelton. Lindsey’s efforts have been recognized by former President Obama, the Office of National Drug Control Policy and MTV.

“I am grateful and honored that my efforts are recognized, but I hope that any impact I’ve made will inspire more than a conversation. I am merely a servant, teaching others how to serve,” Greinke says. “I can’t ignore the pain and suffering in the world, and my goal is to not only help those hurting, but to inspire others to do the same. Please join me in loving people back to life. This is the highest priority.”

A committee from within the treatment community selects the Heroes in Recovery award recipients after reviewing nominations received throughout the year. Nominations for the 2017 award, set to be presented at the Moments of Change conference in Palm Beach, Florida in September, can be submitted at Heroesinrecovery.com.

About Heroes in Recovery

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), 20 million people needed substance abuse treatment last year and did not receive it. Ten million Americans did not receive needed mental health care. The stigma associated with substance abuse and mental health disorders creates a significant barrier to individuals and families seeking help.

Heroes in Recovery is a grassroots movement intended to remove the social stigma associated with people who are in recovery, to recognize the heroic effort it takes to overcome the obstacles in seeking help, and to celebrate the act of preventing the past from kidnapping the future. While the movement initially focuses on persons recovering from addictive behavior, it is meant also to recognize heroes recovering from many other types of disorders and trauma that can feed or manifest from an addiction.