Donna C.
My name is Donna C. and I am an addict. My coming to Narcotics Anonymous was my last hope. I had tried everything else; relocating, rehabs, detoxes, jail and medically assisted treatment AKA methadone. None of those things worked, I could stop using but couldn’t stay stopped. I was given some suggestions when I got to NA. I got a sponsor and a home group, I started slowly talking with people. I knew nothing about the program; my sponsor guided me through the language and workings of the program and eventually the 12 steps.
The steps have given me a process to follow, a new way to live. It was suggested I get involved with service. I have been a member of hospitals and institutions (H&I) for over 19yrs. We bring meetings into the local jail weekly. By following and “working the program” I have not used a drug of any kind and don’t want to. I love life being clean. I didn’t believe I could stop using and be in recovery. Narcotics Anonymous made that dream possible.
Tony C.
Over the last 20 years, my recovery journey in Ocean County has been nothing short of transformative. When I first arrived, I was welcomed with open arms by a community that genuinely embraced me. It didn’t take long to realize that this area was rich with recovery—everywhere I turned, there were opportunities for growth, healing, and connection. The fellowship here felt alive and active, and that energy helped fuel my early steps toward a new way of life.
One of the things that stood out to me was how well-organized and service-driven the Ocean Area of Narcotics Anonymous was. From the start, there were plenty of meetings to choose from, and subcommittees like Activities, Public Relations, H&I, and Area Service were not only up and running, but thriving. I quickly got involved, finding purpose and strength through service. Getting active in the program helped my recovery take off like wildfire—it gave me structure, community, and the chance to give back.
Next week, I will proudly celebrate 26 years clean, and I can honestly say that the Ocean Area has been a cornerstone of my recovery. My NA family here has walked with me through every chapter, and I’m deeply grateful for the support, love, and shared experience we’ve built together. Ocean County has not just been where I stayed clean—it’s where I found my life, my people, and my purpose.
Jeff F.
Ed V.
I’m Ed V, my clean date is 3/11/18. Active addiction took me through four decades, five prisons, six DUIs, 37 arrests, and 15 years of incarceration. At the age of 21 in 1984, I was sentenced by four superior court judges in three counties, and didn’t stop getting arrested until my 37th arrest as an adult on March 1, 2018.
My brother died in 2009, and my sister died in 2011. My mother died in 2013 when I was returned back to prison on a technical violation, so I was never able to say goodbye to her, after she watched her two other children die from alcoholism.
In the last 40 years I only had a license for three years from 2006 to 2009. I was just finally able to get it back. Before that I rode my bike to the 7am meeting for over six years every single day and have been a keyholder there for the last five years.
I must thank my homegroup, sponsor, commitment, and stepwork for this new way of life. I was even able to travel to Europe for the EECU Convention in Rotterdam on 7/19/25. The journey continues.
After a very long and disenchanting relapse, I remember just waking up in another social services motel and looking at the cigarette-stained ceiling tiles, wondering “when was I happy last?” I blocked and deleted the number to my dealer and thought, I need to get to a meeting. I was happy when I had a fellowship rooted in recovery! So, I got up and walked a little over a mile to the nearest meeting, sat down, and raised my hand.
It’s been a little over two years since that day. How did I get there? It started with casting my net as far and as wide as I could and creating a large network. I reached out to that network and got vulnerable. They loved me until I loved myself, then they taught me to do that with others. I took their suggestions, and I took commitments. I became a living amends. I gave back and practiced what I learned in the fellowship, in all of my affairs. From this, I started to become someone I even kind of liked, myself.
Today, I do things bigger than myself with the help of the fellowship of NA. This is because together we can do something I cannot do alone. Want to know what those things are? You can find me at Ocean Area, NA events, and occasionally speaking at a meeting. Come ask and I’ll tell you all of the things this fellowship has done for my life, and whatever I’m doing right now towards my recovery, because I’m always attempting another new feat! I am absolutely in love with NA, sponsorship and the steps; and love to tell anyone who asks me about it. What are you waiting for?