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Mustangs for Recovery
Mustangs for Recovery
At Mustangs for Recovery, we honor recovery from substance and behavioral addictions as both a noun and as a verb. It is both a return to wellness and a process of healing. As a program of Campus Health & Wellbeing, we exist to offer a safe and sober-friendly environment for students in recovery, seeking recovery, or those affected by the addiction of a friend or family member. Our purpose is to offer alternatives, support, community, and events geared toward students in recovery. We offer meetings based in both abstinence-only and harm-reduction models.
Our Story
What we believe
Recovery is a process of the return to a state of health through the empowered reclamation of self.
The process of recovery is one of deep introspection and understanding of our own intrinsic power. It is also personal and unique to each individual. We support students in helping to find and use their unique gifts to support their own recovery and advocate for each other.
Recovery is a continued and incremental process of learning, growth, and healing; not a destination.
Recovery is not just quitting a substance or behavior, it is a fundamental shift in how we live. It is a continued path toward healing and one that continues beyond our substance use. We seek out progress, not perfection.
Substance misuse happens for a variety of reasons and healing can happen in a variety of ways.
We recognize that for some people, access to support systems is difficult and that one path toward recovery is not possible in our varied lived realities and experiences. We support any path that helps students to achieve their goals for recovery.
Recovery is self-directed, inclusive of all identities, and specific to the humans it affects.
Our identities, experiences, communities, families of origin and much more influence how we seek, and find, recovery. We believe that people do not experience recovery as separate from ourselves, but as part of our unique experiences.
It is through this process that we are empowered to reach our full potential together.
Community is our primary goal at M4R. We believe that together we can achieve much more. We support and advocate for students in or seeking recovery, affected by someone else’s substance use, or as active allies to those in recovery—together and in community.
Recovery is an act of radical self-love.
Too often, recovery is approached as us taking something away from ourselves—depriving ourselves. We see recovery as an ultimate act of self-love and personal power.
Key Tenets
Sobriety
The desire to change your relationship with any mind-altering substances and to abstain from your identified addictions. We maintain spaces for traditional abstinence-only paths AND for harm-reduction.
Community
Connection and building community are keys to our wellness and recovery. Whether that is through attending meetings, coming together with a group of students in or seeking recovery, opening yourself up to new discussions, or connecting in other ways; the building of community is integral to our wellness and recovery.
Health
The World Health Organization defines health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Supporting your health may look a variety of ways including (but not limited to): physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, social, and intellectual care.
Group Meetings
Tuesday Night Tea Club is back!
Wednesday Connections
A 12-step inspired open meeting for those in, or seeking recovery from 4:00pm-5:00pm. Readings, meditations, writing prompts all designed to help you think about and talk about your recovery in a different way. Get support and connect. Newcomers welcome!
Individual Supports
M4R seeks to support students at every stage of their recovery. Whether you are at the beginning stage of your recovery journey or someone in long term recovery, we offer peer and professional support to help you achieve and maintain your sobriety. Email kvinther@calpoly.edu for a meeting with pro-staff, or email recovery@calpoly.edu to get added to our student GroupMe or seek out peer support.
Drop-in Hours are also hosted in Cerro Vista’s Community Center on Thursdays from 2:00-4:00pm.
Davis Henegar Memorial Scholarship
Applications are open on a rolling basis. Review occurs in week 8 of each quarter for award the following quarter. Awards made Fall-Spring. Email recovery@calpoly.edu for more information.
Named in honor of Davis Henegar, a student at Cal Poly who fought tirelessly to reduce the stigma associated with substance misuse and offer a space for all students to seek and find recovery support. And thanks to the amazing generosity of the Henegar family and the innumerable people affected by Davis’ s short but amazing life, Mustangs for Recovery is able to offer a grant for students in recovery, matriculating at Cal Poly. Funds are distributed quarterly and require that students who apply have a minimum of three months continued recovery from all identified substance addiction. Learn more about the grant application.
Overdose Prevention & Narcan Distribution
Fentanyl is increasingly being found in the illegal drug supply in everything from counterfeit pills to inclusion in Cocaine and even LSD. Narcan is a safe, possibly life-saving nasal spray that can reverse opioid overdose.
Campus Pop-Up Distribution
Thursdays from 11:00 am-12:00 pm on the Health Center Lawn. Stop by the booth for a 10-15 minute training on how to use Narcan and get your Cal Poly Overdose Prevention Kit. Free and available to all current Cal Poly students.
***Interested in helping lead Cal Poly’s Overdose Prevention efforts? Hiring now for student staff and volunteers. Contact kvinther@calpoly.edu.
Distribution to Clubs or Organizations
We can come to your organization’s meeting to do overdose prevention education and Narcan distribution to key members of your club community. Contact kvinther@calpoly.edu to schedule your training!
Community & Mail Order Distribution
Go to naloxonenowslo.org and take the online training and have the Narcan shipped to your door.
For more immediate access, visit SLO Syringe Exchange program pop-ups throughout the county:
- Monday 2:00pm - 4:00pm -- Morro Bay 760 Main St. (Public Health Building, across from park)
- Tuesday 4:30pm - 5:30pm -- Paso Robles Echo Shelter 1134 Black Oak Dr. (Former Motel 6, outreach)
- Wednesday 5:30pm - 8:15pm -- 2191 Johnson Ave Public Health Department (Around Back, Inside)
- Sunday 4:00pm - 6:00pm -- Echo Homeless Shelter 63070 Atascadero Ave (outreach)
Join Us
Mustangs for Recovery is a collegiate recovery community started by students, for students. We are always looking for students who are in recovery or allies to be a part of helping us reach as many students as we can! If you are passionate about recovery and want to be a part of a community of like-minded peers, join us! Email kvinther@calpoly.edu for more information.
Contact
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @cprecovery
Kirsten Vinther, kvinther@calpoly.edu OR recovery@calpoly.edu, 805-756-6619
Sign-up for our newsletter to find out about events and meetings, socials and study times, to offer or receive support and mentorship, or to just be involved!
Community and National Meetings
Alcoholics Anonymous meetings in the SLO area. In-person, virtual, and hybrid offerings.
Al-Anon Family Groups. Virtual support to family and friends of those with substance use issues.
Cocaine Anonymous. Online support and services.
LifeRing Secular Recovery. Online meetings.
In The Rooms Global Recovery Community- Online recovery meetings and support including 12-step, non 12-step, wellness, and mental health modalities.
Marijuana Anonymous. Meetings, chat rooms, and resources.
Central Coast Area Narcotics Anonymous.
Recovery Dharma. Non-theistic recovery based in Buddhist practices.
Recovery Dharma—BIPOC only. Non-theistic, based in Buddhist practice fellowship meetings specifically for BIPOC.
Self-Management and Recovery Training (SMART) Recovery. Mutual-support groups, forums, chat rooms, and comprehensive meeting list.
Unity Recovery + WEconnect + SOS Recovery + Alano Club. Daily virtual meetings supporting all paths to recovery.
She Recovers. Online support, meetings, and community for woman in or seeking recovery.
White Bison. Non-profit group that works to promote sobriety, wellbriety, and overall recovery. Culturally-Based Healing to Indigenous People.
