About

MARCO is a statewide Recovery Community Organization (RCO) working to build an ecosystem of recovery. We believe that long-term system change starts in our communities and that RCOs are essential partners in building a recovery-oriented society.

MARCO does this through:

Mentorship and Professional Development:

Through collaboration with its members and partners, MARCO mentors and supports emerging, new and established organizations to promote the growth, sustainability, and fidelity of RCOs throughout Minnesota.

Public Education:

Through public events and educational programs, MARCO raises awareness about substance use disorders and substance use issues and promotes a recovery-oriented system of care.

Advocacy:

MARCO educates policymakers on substance use and recovery issues and promotes the fidelity of the community-based RCO model across the continuum of care. MARCO represents the interests of RCOs by participating in state policy discussions, advisory boards, commissions, and other forums.

History

Recognizing that Recovery Community Organizations (RCOs) are stronger when we collaborate and lift each other up, leaders from the handful of RCOs in Minnesota in 2018 come together as a Community of Practice to share knowledge and resources through monthly conference calls. As the development of RCOs in Minnesota grew, eight RCOs began working together to form a new organization that could advocate with one voice on behalf of Minnesota’s diverse grassroots RCOs and the communities they serve.

This coalition of RCOs registered the Minnesota Alliance of Recovery Community Organizations (MARCO) with the Secretary of State in late 2019. Through a competitive RFP process, the Minnesota Department of Human Services Behavioral Health Division awarded MARCO (under the fiscal sponsorship of Minnesota Recovery Connection) funding in 2022 to establish a statewide RCO; provide mentorship and technical assistance for emerging and established RCOs; develop an RCO credentialing process; and implement other educational activities to advance recovery in our communities.

MARCO received federal IRS determination as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization in June 2023 and hired its first Executive Director in July 2023. MARCO is a member of the Alliance for Recovery Centered Organizations.

Learn more about the people involved.

Lighthouse Beginnings

LHB came to life when we became a 501(c)(3) in 2020. We built a board of directors of people in recovery. LHB launched for the purpose of assisting and empowering individuals to remove the roadblocks experienced while in the recovery process.

LHB was developed and continues to be managed by individuals with lived experience, education, diverse backgrounds, and different pathways of recovery. We have locations in Brainerd and in Minneapolis, trying to expand our reach to those who face recovery daily, know people in recovery, face homelessness, or have been wrongly incarcerated.

Service Delivery Options

On-site at a physical location
In-person in the community through outreach
In-person in the community through pop-up sites at other provider locations

Services Offered

Certified Peer Recovery Specialists (1:1 support)

On-demand recovery navigation (call/email)

All recovery meetings

Volunteer/internship opportunities

Recovery skills-building classes

Social recovery events

Our Approach

Peer support encompasses a range of activities and interactions between people who share similar experiences of being diagnosed with mental health conditions, substance use disorders, or both. This mutuality is often called “peerness” — a connection between a peer support worker and a person in or seeking recovery that promotes connection and inspires hope.

Peer support offers a level of acceptance, understanding, and validation not found in many other professional relationships. By sharing their own lived experience and practical guidance, peer support workers help people develop goals, create strategies for self-empowerment, and take steps toward building fulfilling, self-determined lives through individualized wellness plans.

Outreach & Resources

Onsite supplies
Street outreach (support, education, supplies)
Referrals to Medication Assisted Recovery
Overdose prevention training

Harm Reduction Supplies

Naloxone/Narcan
Fentanyl test strips
Xylazine test strips

Additional Support

Recovery residences / sober housing
Housing stabilization support services
Mental health peer support services
Food shelf / food assistance
Clothing shelf / clothing assistance

Programs & Events

Public trainings

We've offered anger management classes, as well as an all-recovery meeting every Tuesday at 1 PM.