Sober Doesn’t Mean Alone

Sustaining the Community That Makes Long-Term Sobriety Possible

Teetotal Initiative is a fast-growing 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Southwestern Pennsylvania — and one of the first organizations of its kind in the country. While treatment centers focus on active addiction and prevention, almost no one is addressing the lifelong journey that begins after someone commits to sobriety.

That’s where we come in.

Since 2023, we’ve hosted nearly 100 free, sober-focused events for over 3,000 attendees — from creative workshops and yoga classes to kayaking trips, culinary tours, art festivals, comedy shows, and community volunteer nights. But what we offer is bigger than events.
We’re combating the three leading causes of relapse: loneliness, isolation, and boredom.

Our programs create spaces where people in recovery — and anyone choosing a sober lifestyle — can feel connected, inspired, celebrated, and supported. These gatherings are more than a fun night out. They are lifelines. They are reminders that sobriety can be full, vibrant, and joyful. They are places where people rediscover purpose, hope, and belonging.

Because the truth is simple:
Sober doesn’t mean alone. And no one should have to choose between sobriety and connection.

💛 Why This Work Matters

At Teetotal Initiative, we support everyone on their journey to sobriety — whether you’re newly sober, years into recovery, sober-curious, or an ally, friend, or family member walking alongside someone you love. Our community is intentionally inclusive, because no one builds a sober life in isolation.

At the same time, individuals living with Alcohol Use Disorder and Substance Use Disorders are often the most overlooked when it comes to “the rest of life” after sobriety begins. These conditions are recognized by the ADA as lifelong disabilities — requiring ongoing support, not just crisis intervention. Yet once formal treatment or early recovery support ends, many people find themselves without a community that truly understands what they’re navigating.

Support groups like AA and NA can provide crucial foundations, but outside those meetings, many still face long stretches of isolation. They return to empty Friday nights, to social lives centered around substances, to a world where celebration and connection can feel out of reach.

Teetotal Initiative was created to change that.
We’re redefining what sobriety & recovery look like by helping people fall in love with life again.

We are building a model that supports people long after treatment—a model that can reduce relapse, strengthen communities, and improve recovery outcomes.

📌 January: Our Awareness & Sustainability Campaign

This January, we’re launching a month-long campaign to share the mission and purpose of Teetotal Initiative with the world — and to sustain the work we’ve built.

Instead of focusing on a single fundraising number, we are choosing transparency.
Our goal is simple: sustain our 2026 operating costs so every program we offer can remain free and accessible.

Each event we host, each county we serve, and each life we touch is only possible through the generosity of people who believe in this mission.

🙌 How You Can Help

1. Donate to Sustain a Year of Programming

Your contribution ensures that events remain free to the community — because financial barriers should never be a reason someone loses access to connection.

2. Create a Peer-to-Peer Page

Share your story, your “why,” or simply your belief in this movement. Your voice can reach people we’d never reach alone.

3. Spread the Word

Share our mission on social media. Tell friends, family, coworkers. Help us shift the narrative about what long-term recovery truly needs.

🌱 The Future of Recovery Starts With Community

We envision a world where recovery doesn’t end at sobriety — it blossoms into a life full of meaning, creativity, laughter, connection, and hope. A world where no one in recovery feels isolated. A world where celebrating without substances isn’t the exception — it’s an invitation.

With your support, we can keep building that world, one event and one connection at a time.
Thank you for believing in this work, for standing with our community, and for helping us show that sober doesn’t mean alone.

🌈 What We Do: Free Sober Programming That Builds Real Community

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Teetotal Initiative provides a vital service to the sobriety and recovery community. We believe access to connection, creativity, and belonging should never come with a price tag. That’s why every experience we offer is free — removing financial barriers and ensuring that everyone, regardless of where they are on their journey, can participate.

Below are just a few examples of the free programming we provide each month:

Creative Kaleidoscope

This series is a celebration of the creative arts, inviting people to explore, play, and express themselves. Experiences range from symphony nights with backstage tours at Heinz Hall and musicals at Carnegie Mellon University, to immersive, hands-on workshops like mosaic making, gyotaku (fish printing), calligraphy, screen-printing, bookbinding, and even belly dancing. All of this creativity culminates each September in our annual Fresh A.I.R. Festival, a vibrant celebration of art, connection, and recovery.

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Fresh Start

This comprehensive wellness series focuses on restoring mind, body, and spiritthrough grounding and transformative experiences. Offerings include equine therapy, sound healing, drum circles, controlled release, qigong, shamanic healing, astrology, reiki, yoga, meditation, breathwork, and more—creating accessible spaces for reflection, regulation, and personal growth in recovery and sobriety.

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Everyday Adventures

This series focuses on caring for the “rest of life” through upbeat, low-pressure social experiences that build joy, confidence, and community in recovery. From kayaking and indoor mini-golf tournaments to haunted walking tours, karaoke and bingo nights, museum visits, candle making, and even improv classes, these adventures make connection feel natural—and fun.

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Teetotal Tastes

This series brings people together through culinary connection - from neighborhood tastings across Strip District, Lawrenceville, Brookline, and the North Side, to Butler County gems like Saxonburg and Harmony. It also features lively in-person and virtual cooking classes - think fresh pasta, sushi rolling, tacos, and zero-proof mocktails - designed to spark joy, confidence, and community around the table.

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Teetotal Gives Back

One of our newest series is bringing people in our community together to build connections through service. We recently volunteered at the Western PA Diaper Bank, followed by a well-earned pizza party, and our next volunteer opportunity is scheduled with The Education Partnership - because giving back feels even better when it’s done together.

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Buzz-Free Bar

Our newest regular series takes over the first Monday of every month at Two Frays, featuring all the fun activities you’d expect from a night at the bar - trivia, bingo, karaoke, and more - minus the alcohol. We’re kicking things off with hosted trivia in February, followed by Bingo in March and Karaoke in April, all in a welcoming, zero-proof, community-centered space.

Not just sustaining sobriety—reigniting a love for life!

By Teetotal Initiative

Not just sustaining sobriety—reigniting a love for life!

Fund the spaces, experiences, and people that combat loneliness, isolation, & boredom — the leading drivers of relapse.

Team Members