With Community Bridges’ Help, CARE 2025 Marks 20 Years as Arizona’s Premier Recovery and Wellness Event

Mesa, AZ — On Saturday, September 20, 2025, Community Bridges, Inc. (CBI) will host the 20th annual CARE: Celebrate the Art of Recovery Expo, Arizona’s leading community event honoring National Recovery Month. The event will run from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM at First United Methodist Church, 15 E 1st Ave in Mesa.

Founded in 2005, CARE has grown into a cornerstone of Arizona’s behavioral health landscape, uniting individuals, families, providers, and advocates to promote recovery, wellness, and hope. This year’s milestone event will celebrate two decades of healing and connection in an open, supportive, and joy-filled atmosphere.

“CARE is joyful by design,” said Natalia Chimbo Andrade, Director of Community Education and Outreach at CBI. “Some people come in from really dark places, but here, they feel seen. They feel welcomed. It’s colorful, it’s diverse, it’s safe.”

CARE is a free, all-ages community gathering dedicated to promoting healing, understanding, and support for individuals and families affected by mental health and substance use challenges. The 2025 celebration will feature:

• A keynote speech by former Phoenix Police Officer, author, and inspirational speaker Jason Schechterle
• A wide array of recovery and wellness resources
• Workshops focused on tools for healing and personal growth
• Activities reflecting the eight dimensions of wellness: emotional, environmental, financial, intellectual, occupational, physical, social, and spiritual
• Opportunities for connection, celebration, and storytelling

“You feel the energy the moment you walk in,” said Anne Marie Johnston, Senior Director of Shelters and Outreach at CBI. “It’s like a natural high, the adrenaline, the music, the people who get it. We’re all celebrating each other’s journey.”

The event is presented by Community Bridges, playing a central role in programming, planning, and outreach. As an active participant in National Recovery Month, CBI believes that wellness is essential to recovery and quality of life.

The CARE event was founded by Barbara Brown, a longtime champion of community wellness and recovery support. As a founding figure behind CARE, Barbara has helped to establish CARE as a signature recovery event in Arizona and to ensure CARE remains accessible, inclusive, and compassion-centered.

“It’s an event where we’re giving back. That’s really it,” says Brown. “Let’s give back. Let’s see a light go off in someone’s eyes. I remember a woman saying to me, ‘I’m so glad I came today. It saved my life.’ I got all choked up and I was like, wow, people need to know they’re not alone. That’s a huge part of why we do this.”

Details

• CARE: Celebrate the Art of Recovery
• Saturday, September 20, 2025
• 10:00AM-2:00PM
• First United Methodist Church, 15 E 1st Ave, Mesa, AZ 85210
• www.celebratetheartofrecovery.org

Admission is free. All are welcome. Advance interviews can be set up with CBI leaders by contacting David Leibowitz at 602-317-1414 or by email at david@leibowitzsolo.com.