Today we’d like to introduce you to Adam Lonardo
Hi Adam, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Throughout my youth, I faced significant challenges with mental health and substance use disorder. Despite growing up in a good home and attending a great school system, I never quite felt the happiness I saw in others. My struggles escalated in my early twenties when I was working in the construction industry and was introduced to OxyContin.
When the government’s crackdown on prescription opioids led to reformulations in 2010, many including myself, turned to street drugs as an alternative. By early 2013, my life had completely unraveled. I had dropped out of college, lost my home and my job, and woke up every day wishing I wouldn’t make it through the night.
Eventually, I was able to enter long-term treatment, followed by recovery housing. That experience changed my life forever. A few months into my recovery, I returned to construction work while spending most of my free time speaking in substance use disorder treatment centers. I found a deep sense of purpose in sharing my experience and helping others navigate the path to recovery.
By 2015, I recognized a desperate need for safe, supportive recovery housing in Youngstown. In December of that year, I took a leap of faith renting a home, writing policies and procedures based on my lived experience, and opening the doors to Broadway Recovery Services (BRS)’ first recovery home.
Over the next decade, I worked tirelessly, holding two or three jobs at a time to support my family while growing BRS. Today, BRS is my sole focus, and we’ve expanded significantly. We now operate 10 recovery homes, providing stable housing for 24 women and 51 men, with an 11th home currently under construction to serve women with high-acuity mental health needs. Beyond housing, we offer peer support, case management, mental health counseling, and substance use disorder counseling to our residents. We’ve also partnered with Clubhouse International to run Youngstown’s local Clubhouse, offering a community-driven approach to mental health recovery. Where any individual with any level of mental health challenges can come and find community and purpose.
Though working in the recovery space can be heartbreaking at times, it is also rewarding beyond measure. Not everyone makes it, but many do, and I have witnessed lives transforming in ways that are nothing short of miraculous. I’ve seen people once lost in addiction rebuild their families, regain their purpose, and achieve things they never thought possible. Their growth not only impacts them but also their loved ones and entire communities. Watching these transformations unfold is what keeps me going, it’s proof that recovery is real, and it’s worth fighting for.
Over the years, I’ve navigated industries including construction, trucking, healthcare, and laboratory services. But at the end of the day, my heart has always been with helping those who were once like me lost, struggling, and in need of hope.
Today, I remain committed to expanding access to recovery resources, advocating for those in need, and ensuring that no one must face addiction or mental health struggles alone
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
There was a time when I walked into boardrooms and business meetings feeling like an imposter. Without a college degree and with a history of addiction, I carried the weight of stigma—both from others and from myself. I would sit across from people with impressive credentials, polished résumés, and years of formal education, and I would wonder if I truly belonged. The corporate world often measures worth in degrees, certifications, and titles, and for a long time, I bought into that mindset. I believed that because I had taken an unconventional path one marked by struggle, recovery, and resilience I was somehow less qualified.
But over time, I began to see things differently. Every challenge I had faced had shaped me into the leader I was becoming. Recovery had taught me discipline, perseverance, and emotional intelligence. I knew what it meant to rebuild after failure, to find strength in vulnerability, and to lead with compassion. I had faced adversity in ways that no classroom could ever teach. More importantly, I understood people not just their professional ambitions, but their struggles, fears, and motivations. That understanding became my greatest asset.
Still, overcoming stigma was not an overnight process. There were moments when I felt the weight of judgment whether it was an offhand comment about addiction or an assumption that my lack of formal education meant I couldn’t lead. But with each conversation, each success, and each opportunity to prove myself, I began to reshape the narrative not just for myself, but for others who had walked a similar path. I realized that my lived experience wasn’t a liability; it was my superpower. It gave me a level of relatability and insight that couldn’t be taught in business school.
Now, when I walk into a room, I no longer feel the need to apologize for my past. Instead, I own it. Because the truth is, my journey has given me something far more valuable than a degree. It has given me the ability to connect, inspire, and lead in a way that is deeply human. And in business, as in life, that is what truly matters.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Broadway Recovery Services?
Broadway Recovery Services is more than just an organization to me. BRS is a movement dedicated to transforming lives through substance use disorder recovery and mental health support. Our mission is rooted in compassion, community, and comprehensive care, offering a lifeline to individuals seeking freedom from substance use disorders and the struggles that often come with them.
Broadway Recovery Services (BRS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to providing a safe, structured, and supportive environment that empowers individuals on their recovery journey. Our mission is to offer compassionate and comprehensive Substance Use Disorder (SUD) and Behavioral Health services, guiding individuals to maintain wellness, engage in personalized treatment, and strengthen positive connections with their families and communities. We are committed to fostering a stigma-free space that promotes healing, resilience, and hope for all those we serve.
What truly sets us apart is our deep commitment to lived experience leadership and peer led services. Many of our team members, including myself, have walked the path of recovery firsthand. That perspective allows us to offer authentic, empathetic support that goes beyond traditional clinical approaches. We believe that true recovery happens through connection, accountability, and purpose-driven living. Everyone’s journey is different, and we take a personalized approach to ensure that each individual gets the specific support they need. Whether it’s helping someone find a job, navigate legal challenges, or reconnect with their family, we go beyond the basics of recovery to help individuals rebuild their lives with confidence.
In addition to our core recovery programs, we are proud to operate Broadway Stars Clubhouse, an affiliate of Clubhouse International. Broadway Stars provides a supportive and empowering environment for individuals with mental health challenges, offering opportunities for meaningful work, social connection, and skill-building to promote long-term stability and independence.
What I’m most proud of is the success of our community members. Seeing individuals who once felt hopeless now thriving in careers, rebuilding relationships, and becoming leaders in the recovery movement is what drives me every day. Broadway Recovery Services has built a reputation for genuine and effective recovery support. We don’t just offer services. We build lifelong connections and a culture of recovery that lasts.
More than anything, I want people to know that Broadway Recovery Services is a family and a community. We provide safe and structured recovery housing, peer recovery support and mentorship, employment assistance, life skills development, case management, and a strong alumni network to ensure long-term recovery support. If you or a loved one is seeking recovery, you are not alone. We are here to walk alongside you, providing the support, structure, and encouragement needed to reclaim your life. Recovery is possible for everyone, and at Broadway Recovery Services, we prove that every single day.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
Literature is a powerful tool that enhances my ability to live in a positive and productive way. I am a passionate reader of literary classics such as The Call of the Wild, Brave New World, The Count of Monte Cristo, and The Lord of the Rings. Beyond the classics, I find new perspectives in books like The Doors of Perception, The Book on the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are, Alcoholics Anonymous, and Man’s Search for Meaning.
When it comes to podcasts, I explore a wide range of topics, from philosophy and theology to health and science. Some of my favorites include Data Over Dogma, Mysterion, Revolution Health Radio, and Boundless Life. I also enjoy reading articles and studies shared by my peers and colleagues on LinkedIn, always looking for fresh insights and perspectives.
More than anything, music plays the most significant role in my personal success. From classical compositions to my hardcore and metal roots, I listen to music almost all day, every day as I work. A song or album has the power to open both the mind and soul in a way that is difficult to replicate through any other medium.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.broadwayrecoveryservices.org
- Instagram: adamlo.22
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-lonardo-ba22a434/
