OSF Mental Health Lunch and Learns, Recovery Cafe and Counseling Resources
ALTON - Community members have a unique opportunity to connect with substance use resources at the upcoming Recovery Cafe event.
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From 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 20, 2026, Riverbend residents are invited to stop by OSF St. Anthony’s Health Center in Alton for Recovery Cafe, a resource fair and networking event. Sara Bennett, LCSW, explained that the goal is to bring people together for coffee, pastries, live music and resources.
“It’s kind of like a substance use vendor fair networking meets resources,” she said. “This is going to be a laidback place to come where you can connect with professionals in our community, enjoy some pastries and some light refreshments. There’s even going to be a musician there playing live music for us. It truly is going to be a unique experience. And, like a lot of things that we do in Psychological Services, this is a free event.”
The Recovery Cafe is for professionals who work in the mental health or substance use field, community members who are struggling with substance use, or those with loved ones who have substance use disorders. The goal, Bennett explained, is to connect everybody and provide information about local resources.
The event was conceptualized by Marla Nelson, LCPC, who “really enjoys” working with populations affected by substance use. Bennett added that there will be a panel available to answer questions in addition to the resource fair.
“You can ask questions and get information from the people who really truly are in the know,” she said. “I expect that it’s going to fill up fairly fast because it’s such a unique experience.”
If you would like to reserve a table as an organization or resource, click here. You can contact the Psychological Services Department at 618-474-6240 for more information about how to register as an attendee.
Bennett and Nelson hope the Recovery Cafe is a meaningful experience for all who attend. To learn more about OSF St. Anthony’s Health Center, visit the official website.
