About
"Seeing Broken Individuals Whole"
Our History
The organization was the inspiration of our founder, the late Lucretia A. Allen. These are her words:
"I was sitting at home one night meditating. I questioned myself and God as to what I could do to help recovering women. Many women had complained to me about the expense and locality of retreats. Then it came to me: What about having one in our area where women could get a local bus or cab without too much expense. The next day, I called my sponsor and threw it past her. She told me God had given me a job to do. I then got on the phone and started calling women God and I had selected. It didn't occur to me that I had no trouble getting them. The first meeting was held at my home on Friday, May 25, 1993. It consisted of thirteen women in attendance. I would like to take this moment to say 'thank you' to all of them that came on that day and to those that still remain. Thank you for helping me make my vision come true."
That message was from our founder and beloved sister, Lucretia. Shades of Recovery was formed in 1993 as a voluntary, group of women, dedicated to providing low cost retreats for economically challenged, inner-city women in recovery. The vision that our founder Lucretia Allen had included low expense, as well as, accessibility. As you’ve heard, she gathered 13 women together, stated her mission and sought support to make the dream a reality.
Since that time we have become incorporated, with non-profit, tax exempt status and have broadened our mission to empowering individuals through spiritual, physical and emotional guidance. Our current vision is to see broken individuals whole. The initial endeavors were one-day retreats, conceived during the group’s infancy (basically) because weekends were more difficult to finance. Since inception we have sponsored approximately 30 one-day retreats. They have proven to be motivating, spiritually uplifting, healing and growth experiences. The one-days have been presented to treatment facilities as workshops. They have afforded us the opportunity to fulfill our mission and helped us focus on the goal - the weekend retreat. The first weekend retreat was held in March 1996 in Perth Amboy, NJ. Every year since then, at various locations, we have sponsored a weekend retreat in the spring.
Ever keeping Lucretia’s vision and purpose in the forefront, we’ve been blessed and guided to sponsor 24 weekend retreats. As a means of attaining that goal, we have had fund-raising functions: spiritual luncheons, dances and a play. In 2003, we celebrated 10 years of existence with a formal dinner dance. In 2013, we celebrated our 20th year of existence with a formal dinner dance at the Galloping Hill Inn. On Friday, October 5, 2018 we celebrated our 25th year of existence with a formal dinner dance at the Galloping Hill Inn in Union, NJ.
There have been times when our lights flickered, however, a strong belief that our group is inspired by God and directed by His hand, has allowed us to persevere and mature individually and as a group.
We believe all women can recover and embrace their true identity, redefine their future, and change the world.
SHADES OF RECOVERY, INC. LIST OF ONE DAY AND WEEKEND RETREAT THEMES
Our One-Day Retreats dates and their themes are as follows:
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September 10, 1994 - The Power of Prayer!
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September 9, 1995 - The Wealth of a Spiritual Women!
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September 14, 1996 - S.E.L.F. (Solutions to Eliminating Life's Failures)!
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We were blessed to present that same theme to the women at Integrity House on November 9, 1996.
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We organized a one-day retreat in conjunction with a group of women at Park Avenue Christian Church in East Orange, NJ on January 25, 1997. The theme was The Battle is Not Yours!
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September 13, 1997 - Hell has an Exit - Death - Rebirth!
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September 12, 1998 - We Do Recover - It Starts with the Woman in the Mirror!
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September 18, 1999 - Peace within the Storm! In that same year we presented this retreat theme to the women in recovery at Elizabeth General Hospital.
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September 16, 2000 - I’m Gonna Let it Shine!
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September 15, 2001 - Sharing Clean/Living Dirty!
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September 16, 2002 - Clean & Sober: Now What?
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September 27, 2003 - Igniting the Spark Within!
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In celebration of our 10th year Anniversary we held our 1st Dinner Dance on September 10, 2004 at the Galloping Hill Inn, located in Union, New Jersey.
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Let me continue with our One-day retreats:
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September 10, 2005 - Recovery is Progressive!
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September 16, 2006 - Healing Oneself through Forgiveness!
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September 15, 2007 - As a Woman Thinketh!
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September 20, 2008 - Seven Deadly Sins of Sisterhood!
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September 12, 2009 - Bag Lady - Unpack your Bags!
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September 11, 2010 - I’m Still Standing!
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September 10, 2011 - The Little Girl Grows Up!
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September 8, 2012 - Emotional Recovery!
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September 7, 2013 - Saying No without Feeling Guilty!
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In celebration of our 20th year of existence and our Anniversary, we held our 2nd Dinner Dance on October 5, 2013 at the Galloping Hill Inn, located in Union, New Jersey.
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Let me continue with our One-day retreats:
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May 31, 2014 - Self-Love! (Women in Englewood)!
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September 13, 2014 - Making New Choices!
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December 5, 2014 - Self-Love! (Irvington Family Development Center)!
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September 19, 2015 - The Only Thing Constant is Change!
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September 17, 2016 - Overcoming Challenges!
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September 16, 2017 - Forgiveness Isn’t for You, It’s for Me!
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September 8, 2018 - Bouncing Back from Rejection and Betrayal!
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April 27, 2019 - New Beginnings! (presented in Connecticut)
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September 14, 2019 - Release Those Bags!
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September 2020 - Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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June 26, 2021 - Peace within the Storm! (1st Virtual One-Day Retreat)
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September 18, 2021 - Overcoming Challenges (2nd Virtual One-Day Retreat)
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January 29, 2022 - Can We Talk (1st Virtual Co-Ed One-Day Retreat)
September 17, 2022 - Feel, Deal & Heal!
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September 16, 2023 - Change, Grow & Heal!
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September 7, 2024 - "Walking from Fear to Faith!"
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Let me continue with retreats: Our goal has always been to sponsor retreats for women, locally and inexpensively. By March 1996, we were able to host our first weekend retreat. The following are the locations, dates and themes:
1st The Emmaus Retreat House in Perth Amboy, New Jersey March 29-31, 1996 - Healing the Child Within!
2nd The Emmaus Retreat House in Perth Amboy, New Jersey March 21-23, 1997 - Women Empowering Women!
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3rd St. Paul’s Abbey in Newton, New Jersey May 15-17, 1998 - The Joy is in the Journey!
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4th St. Paul’s Abbey in Newton, New Jersey May 14-16, 1999 - Going Beyond the Comfort Zone: We Feel, Deal and Heal!
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5th St. Paul’s Abbey in Newton, New Jersey May 18-20, 2000 - It’s In the Valley I Grow!
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6th St. Paul’s Abbey in Newton, New Jersey May 18-20, 2001 - I’m Gonna Let it Shine!
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7th Emmaus Retreat House, Perth Amboy, New Jersey June 14-16, 2002 - Freedom from Bondage!
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8th Emmaus Retreat House, Perth Amboy, New Jersey May 18-20, 2003 - Developing Spiritual Vision!
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9th Emmaus Retreat House, Perth Amboy, New Jersey June 18-20, 2004 - Key Areas of Growth!
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10th Emmaus Retreat House, Perth Amboy, New Jersey June 17-19, 2005 - Women and Addiction: the Struggle and the Triumph!
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11th Emmaus Retreat House, Perth Amboy, New Jersey June 16-18, 2006 - Healing Oneself Through Forgiveness!
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12th Emmaus Retreat House, Perth Amboy, New Jersey June 15-17, 2007 - As a Woman Thinketh!
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13th Emmaus Retreat House in Perth Amboy, New Jersey June 13-15, 2008 - Being Tested Is a Blessing!
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14th Mother Boniface Spirituality Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania June 5-7, 2009 - Seven Deadly Sins of Sisterhood!
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15th Archdiocesan Youth Retreat Center, Kearny, New Jersey June 4-6, 2010 - Release, Restore, Rejoice!
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16th Archdiocesan Youth Retreat Center, Kearny, New Jersey June 3-5, 2011 - Weathering the Storm!
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17th Archdiocesan Youth Retreat Center, Kearny, New Jersey June 1-3, 2012 - Neglected Issues Have Babies!
18th Archdiocesan Youth Retreat Center, Kearny, New Jersey May 31-June 2, 2013 - Saying No without Feeling Guilty!
19th Mother Boniface Spirituality Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania June 6-8, 2014 - HOPE – Helping other People Evolve!
20th Mother Boniface Spirituality Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania June 5-7, 2015 - The Battle is Not Yours!
21st Mother Boniface Spirituality Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania June 3-5, 2016 - I’m Not Finished!
22nd Mother Boniface Spirituality Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania June 2-4, 2017 - Did Anyone tell you how much you are worth? See yourself Walking in Victory…!”
23rd Mother Boniface Spirituality Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania June 1-3, 2018 - The Struggle you are in Today is Developing the Strength you need for Tomorrow!
24th Mother Boniface Spirituality Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania May 31–June 2, 2019 - Rejoicing in the Storm – It Can Be Done!
25th Cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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25th Mother Boniface Spirituality Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania June 10-12, 2022 - Hurt - Releasing the Pain!
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26th Mother Boniface Spirituality Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania June 16-18, 2023 - Replacing Fear With Faith!
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27th Mother Boniface Spirituality Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania June 21-23, 2024 - My Chance to Live!
Our Mission
Shades of Recovery, Inc.’s mission is to empower individuals through spiritual, mental, physical and emotional guidance.
