Mission & Ministry Grant Supports Those in Addiction Recovery

by Brittany King

Each year, the National Benevolent Association invites congregations and ministries to apply for a Mission & Ministry Grant. These grants are reserved specifically for projects that will impact older adults as well as historically excluded youth and young adults. Below is a story from a grantee who received funds for their work in 2022.

At 60 years old, Jenny Tacner was ticketed for driving while under the influence. That moment was the wake-up call she needed to get clean. “I ended up at the Daytona Beach Drive-In Church because I wanted to go back to God,” she recalls.

Three years later, Jenny remains clean and sober and now serves as the Volunteer Leader at ReNew Recovery Café, a ministry of Daytona Beach Drive-In Christian Church in Daytona Beach Shores, Florida. The Café is a peer-run organization supporting the development of the mind, body, and spirit of individuals affected by substance abuse, mental illness, and homelessness.

“I live in an area where there are a lot of unhoused individuals; I see plenty of familiar faces and transient individuals wandering the streets and have even witnessed three overdoses right outside my home,” shares Kristen Aja, Director of Administration for ReNew Recovery Café. “When doing our community assessment, we chose the area we did because we noticed this area had a high concentration of people in recovery, or who are unhoused and need support. We’re not just doing this alone; we want to work with health agencies to provide resources and care.”

In the fall of 2021, ReNew Recovery Café received a Mission & Ministry Grant from the NBA. At the time, the program was just an idea and volunteers were looking for meaningful ways to connect to the people who attended the recovery groups they hosted. The $5,000 grant from NBA allowed the ministry to bring their idea to fruition covering the Café’s legal fees, rent, and furniture. Thus, ReNew Recovery Café was born! Watch the video above to see how the ministry has blossomed.

If you or someone you know lives in the Daytona Beach area and is seeking recovery support, reach out to the Café at hello@renewrecoverycafe.com.

Are you interested in receiving grant funds for your health and social service project? Consider applying for a Mission & Ministry Grant here.