“For me – and all our staff, board of directors and community members – this mission is personal,” explains Wolfe Street Foundation Executive Director Justin Buck. “My family has seen both sides of addiction and recovery: we lost my sister after a long period of substance use, but we got my brother back from methamphetamine. More than 72 percent of our board of directors identify as people in recovery, and that focus on lived experience and personal connection inspires me. Today, 85 percent of our staff is made up of people with experience in recovery, and who are the rest? Folks like me: family members, loved ones, allies and advocates for people seeking and sustaining long-term recovery.”
Wolfe Street Foundation was established in 1982 as a haven for sobriety and starting a new life. According to Justin, almost every family in Arkansas has been affected by addiction. “And if you haven’t yet, it’s very likely you will at some point,” he notes. “Whether your experience comes as a person who has substance use challenges or as a family member, loved one, coworker or simply community member substance use challenges impact all of us. Particularly after the pandemic, when we saw mental illness and alcohol and substance use swell to historic figures. Our communities need a strong network of resources for people to find help and recovery.”
Justin continues this plea. “The mental health crisis in our community is serious and deadly, and we’re not out of the woods yet when it comes to opioid use and overdose rates.” He emphasizes that in the last three years, communities have experienced the highest overdose death rates in history. Drugs like fentanyl have contributed to this alarming trend. “We’ve got to be realistic about how to keep our families and communities safe.”
Justin took the helm of Wolfe Street Foundation in 2021. Previous experience includes the Garland County (now Tri-Lakes) Court Appointed Special Advocates, Habitat for Humanity of Central Arkansas, Harmony Health Clinic as well as the Arkansas Small Business & Technology Development Center. He notes an affinity for meaningful work at local nonprofit organizations, which make huge differences in the communities we share. Justin believes Wolfe Street Foundation effectively bridges the gap between prevention, treatment and recovery efforts – ensuring access to quality recovery resources. “To me, that means empowering people to build healthy, happy lives without substance misuse. It means equipping young people with the mental health resources and decision-making skills to deal with the very real challenges they are facing now and will face. It means building a community where anyone and everyone can find hope, healing, and connection.” It’s a responsibility we all share; he encourages community support. “These are big goals, and I can’t do any of those things alone. At the Wolfe Street Foundation, we know that we recover best when we recover together.”
wolfe street foundation
