- [Trainer] Welcome to the Phoenix Boston!
(applause)
- [Scott] I think about how many people are in this building
today, and I think of how many people need this building
and the only way we're gonna get to them
is if everybody who's here goes out and shares
that recovery is possible.
The Phoenix is a free sober active community
and we use the transformative power of sport
to help people heal from addiction.
Addiction in our country is at a pandemic phase.
We started in 2006, we always knew we wanted to be
a national non profit, so we started working with
Stand Together to be able to meet the demand, nationally.
But I never imagined we'd have the impact that we do today
and it's grown even to a partnership
with the Boston Red Sox.
I got sober here, within a half a mile of Fenway Park,
so to bring Phoenix to Boston is a pretty proud moment.
For the first time, I really think we can change
the way the nation thinks about addiction.
(subtle piano music)
- [Robin] Awesome, good morning everyone!
- [Scott] Good morning Robin!
- [Robin] Super excited to have this opportunity
to work out in Fenway and celebrate
our partnership with the Sox.
- [Scott] To be here doing a workout at Fenway,
it's just powerful because this city, I think,
really needs that beacon of hope around addiction
and Phoenix can be that.
(cheering)
I think in my early recovery, I was in the boxing gym
and I was racing triathlon and racing mountain bikes,
and what I started to realize is it was the people
I was sharing that stuff with that was the real magic
in my recovery and that's really where the idea
of Phoenix was born from.
You don't have to be 48 hours clean and sober
to be part of it.
People come in for the workout, but they end up staying
for the new community that they've built.
(light clapping)
The way that we're approaching addiction nationally,
we just have the wrong mental model.
We're doing acute care treatment that keeps people sober
for 30 days, but has really poor outcomes
once they leave treatment.
Our last survey showed that 86 percent of the people
that come to Phoenix had three months of staying sober.
That outperforms a lot of treatment centers.
We had this new, innovative way that was working better,
but we couldn't get the word out to have it reach
the people it needed to.
And then we met Stand Together.
Stand Together is a philanthropic community
that helps nonprofit leaders take their work
to a whole new level.
They helped us with our business management philosophy,
they were helping us establish a clear vision
so we could drive the organization forward.
We talked about Phoenix is gonna grow
and be all across the country and we're gonna help
thousands of people.
And they said, "Why not hundreds of thousands of people?
Or even millions?"
Because of the Stand Together community,
we got partnered with the Red Sox.
- [Troup] We've never seen a program like the Phoenix
in my 20 years here.
You know, for us, this is really the first time
we've ever done a sort of sponsorship or partnership deal
with a nonprofit.
It's just impressive what they do everyday.
They're using the ball park for something
we don't normally use it for.
So it's pretty neat.
- [Scott] Today, we're at Fenway Park doing a workout
with a bunch of Phoenix people and first responders.
- [Robin] Three, two, one.
- [Scott] This is a chance for them to realize
like that person they helped out of their overdose
actually found sobriety and now has this rich, full life
because of them.
- Phoenix!
- [Scott] The partnership with the Red Sox has been great.
Now we get to get the word out to the whole
Red Sox nation.
When we come together and work on this issue,
there's the possibility of a real solution.
Recovery is possible and because of this partnership,
we get to amplify that message.
- [Announcer] It is now time for our ceremonial first pitch.
Please welcome the founder and executive director
of Phoenix, Scott Strode.
(applause)
- [Scott] Like many of you in here,
there was a day that I put down a drink and a drug
for the last time.
I didn't think that I'd be able to accomplish
all the things I did, until people believed in me.
And now I get to share that belief with new folks
coming in, so it's going to take all of us to do this,
but I have no doubt we can.
Thank you.
(applause)
Because of the Stand Together community
and local Boston donors, we now have this beautiful
12 thousand square foot building.
We've gone from three states and seven communities
to over 23 states and 48 communities
with Phoenix programs.
And we're just getting started.
Right now, there's somebody using,
thinking that there's no hope
and that's not true at all.
We just have to scoop them up with love
and get them to a Phoenix event
and help them believe that recovery is possible.
And knowing that we can do that
is what keeps driving me.
(cheering)
Fighting stigma means to create a space where
you're not ashamed of who you are.
Imagine if, as a society, we could give that
to each other.
We don't have to be defined by just the chapters
of our life and our addiction.
And maybe for the first time in our life,
actually be who we're meant to be.
- [Narrator] In our series Catalysts, we're profiling
inspiring social entrepreneurs
who are developing bold solutions to our biggest problems.
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