Less than two blocks south of Maplewood Community Library, on the corner of Bryan Street, is ROCovery Outreach Center, a home for locals in recovery and looking for community.
What began as a hiking excursion set up through Facebook is now a grassroots organization that offers a variety of peer-led wellness-based initiatives.
ROCovery Outreach Center, previously ROCovery Fitness, is an outreach center brought together by sober living, recovery and healing. The non-profit organization was established in 2015 by locals in search of a support group after completing their own 12-step programs.
Located at 1035 Dewey Ave., ROCovery’s home previously operated as a City of Rochester firehouse and Hahn Graphics Inc. in the 1980s. The building was given as a donation in 2017 after the donor lost their son due to an overdose. The center has since been renovated to accommodate the growing community.
ROCovery welcomes individuals across Western New York and hopes to establish a community that normalizes sober living. The volunteer-based organization is run by members who have gone through personal experiences in recovering from drug and alcohol addictions.
Members and volunteers are required to fill out a questionnaire and must be at least 48 hours sober beforehand. Volunteers must go through an extended certification process before becoming a peer to members in recovery.
“ We don’t test people to save 48 hours. It’s just on your honor,” said Peer Support Program Manager Kara Izzo. “ If somebody comes in and maybe they smell like marijuana, we’ll ultimately ask them to leave.”
Kara Izzo obtained her certification as a recovery peer advocate and joined ROCovery in October 2019. During her journey of long-term recovery, Izzo has found a love for fitness. In 2025, Izzo became a certified yoga instructor and is now a yoga 12-step recovery peer support guide.
ROCovery’s rebrand caters to the community
The outreach center was previously named ROCovery Fitness, and went through a rebrand to promote the programs they offer outside of fitness.
“ We rebranded to ROCovery, because we would almost find ourselves sometimes talking people outta the fitness part,” Izzo said. “Not everybody wants to work out.”
Members have access to a variety of free weekly activities that include:
Programs at ROCovery are based on the recovery model of care by the Phoenix Multisport Program, located in Denver.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Inside ROCovery, a Dewey Avenue hub for recovery in Rochester
Reporting by Genae Shields, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
