Unicorns & Polka Dots fund aims to help those struggling with Substance Use Disorder
Knowing the power of community and philanthropy to help people in crisis, one couple has turned to Hudson Community Foundation in their quest to spare other families from the suffering they themselves have endured.
Joe and Karen Brady’s daughter, Brianna, a 24-year-old mother with two young children, died in 2021 following a battle with Substance Use Disorder despite her efforts to seek treatment. She died while waiting entry into a recovery home after phasing out of rehab.
The Bradys committed to raising Brianna’s two children. At bedtime one evening, Joe asked his 4-year-old granddaughter what she would dream about. Her response: “Unicorns and polka dots. That is what Mommy and I would dream about.”
Unicorns & Polka Dots became the rallying cry for the Bradys’ vision to create a support network – what they call a “recovery college” – to provide victims of drug and/or alcohol addiction with specific assistance at every stage of their recovery journey to a purposeful and productive life. A distinguished Board of Advisors guides the program.
“Without reinventing the wheel, Unicorns & Polka Dots aligns the quality recovery resources already available — and then supplement them with other tools and professional connections that together create a more comprehensive recovery program and a long-term solution toward purpose and upward mobility,” Joe Brady said. Their mission is to provide best in class life skill resources, activities, and hobbies that build self-esteem, self-awareness, and self-confidence, thereby minimizing the chances for relapse and helping to create a life of purpose and productivity.
“Karen and I look at this process through the lens of being a mom and dad, and not clinicians or professionals in the field,” Joe said. “We want to make a difference. We are not trying to impact the masses. We take it one individual at a time.
“We’re doing this in our daughter’s memory. We couldn’t save her, but we want to help others struggling with addiction and make sure they have access to best-in-class services and point them in the right direction and support them in their recovery journey.”
Hudson Community Foundation professionally administers donations and grants for The Unicorns & Polka Dots fund, supporting more than 200 individuals in the area who are recovering from SUD. These individuals have already benefitted from free programs focused on building life skills, overcoming fears, and learning self-defense techniques. In 2023 alone, the fund granted more than $10,000 to provide programs and services for those in recovery.
“It is a privilege to partner with the Bradys and their donors to make meaningful impact, providing support and resources to empower women to help rebuild their lives,” Amy Jordan, president, Hudson Community Foundation said.
A full agenda of programs, workshops, and activities are planned by Unicorns & Polka Dots throughout 2024. More information is available at www.unicorns-polkadots.org.
Contributions to The Unicorns & Polka Dots Fund can be made online at myhcf.org or mailed to Hudson Community Foundation at PO Box 944, Hudson 44236 for the benefit of The Unicorns & Polka Dots Fund.
For further information about establishing a fund at HCF, go to www.myhcf.org.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Unicorns & Polka Dots fund working with Hudson Community Foundation
