Episode #147: Keeping the Doors Open at Yana Club

The Yana Club has been the heart of recovery in Jackson, Mississippi for nearly 50 years, providing thousands of alcoholics and addicts with a safe place to attend meetings, find sponsors, build friendships, and begin a new way of life. In Episode 147 of The Recovery Lab Podcast, Daniel Anderson and David Sugg welcome Emma Johnson, Walter Boon, and Vernon Jones for an important conversation about the past, present, and future of the Yana Club. The guests discuss the devastating fire that damaged the clubhouse earlier this year, the unexpected challenges that followed, including asbestos remediation, structural repairs, roofing, flooring, accessibility improvements, and other expenses not covered by insurance. They also explain why preserving Yana is about much more than restoring a building. It’s about protecting one of the most important recovery resources in Central Mississippi. You’ll hear how the newly formed Yana Finance Committee is working alongside the Board of Directors to create long-term financial stability through a monthly membership program, community partnerships, fundraising efforts, and a vision that will allow the clubhouse to serve future generations. The conversation also explores why service work is essential to long-term recovery, the importance of helping newcomers, the unique role clubhouses play within the recovery community, and how every person who has ever benefited from Yana has an opportunity to help ensure its doors remain open. Whether Yana played a role in your recovery or you simply believe everyone deserves a safe place to find hope, this episode is a reminder that recovery is strongest when a community comes together to give back. To learn more about the Yana Club, become a monthly member, or support their mission, visit www.yanaclubms.com⁠. Produced by Daniel Anderson at Audio Alchemy Productions.