She Found Her Place: Celebrating Kira Hare’s Journey to Becoming a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist

Before recovery, Kira Hare did not know what direction her life was going to take.

Like so many people who have walked through addiction, she found herself isolated from the people who mattered most. Addiction had pulled her away from friends and family and eventually led to homelessness. She was stepping into recovery for the first time, with more questions than answers and no clear picture of what life on the other side would look like.

But sometimes the turning point comes when you feel like you have nothing left to lose.

For Kira, that turning point began with entering an inpatient program and later moving into a Mommy and Me Oxford House in Elkton. It was there, in the middle of rebuilding her life one day at a time, that she started finding more than stability. She started finding purpose.

That purpose became clearer when she connected with Voices of Hope Maryland.

Kira first got involved through the Voices of Hope volunteer program, helping with table events and getting a firsthand look at the work being done in the community. What she saw was bigger than outreach. She saw people showing up for others with compassion, honesty, and hope. She saw lives being touched in real time. And something in her said, I want to be part of that.

Once she reached one year in recovery, Kira applied for a position with Voices of Hope and joined the team. That moment mattered. It was not just a job opportunity. It was proof that recovery was opening doors, restoring confidence, and creating space for her lived experience to become something powerful.

Kira’s path to becoming a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist is deeply rooted in that lived experience.

Her journey through addiction, recovery, and mental health challenges gave her something no textbook ever could: real understanding. She knows what it feels like to struggle. She knows what it feels like to question your future. And she knows how life-changing it can be when someone meets you with support instead of judgment.

That is exactly what led her to the CPRS path.

Kira wanted to give back because she had experienced for herself how powerful support and understanding can be. She knew that if someone could help her believe recovery was possible, then she wanted to be that person for somebody else too.

Going through the CPRS Certification Program became more than a professional milestone. It was also personal.

Kira describes the experience as amazing and eye-opening. Through the program, she built strong bonds with peers who genuinely understood what it means to be in recovery. She found connection. She found encouragement. She found community. In her words, she found her people.

That kind of connection matters. Recovery can feel lonely when you are first stepping into it. But the CPRS journey reminded Kira that she was not alone and never had to be. The people around her inspired her, strengthened her recovery, and reminded her why she chose this path in the first place.

By the end of the program, Kira walked away with more than a certification. She walked away with a deeper sense of belonging and a stronger belief in her ability to help others.

Before entering the program, Kira says one of her greatest strengths was her lived experience, along with her personal understanding of addiction, mental health challenges, and the empathy she carried for people going through hard seasons. Those strengths were already there. The CPRS program helped sharpen them.

After completing the program, Kira gained even more confidence in her ability to guide and inspire peers and help them see that recovery is possible. She stepped further into a hospital peer role, where she continued learning how to advocate for others, help ensure their needs were met, and meet people exactly where they are without judgment.

That is what makes peer work so powerful. It is not about fixing people. It is about walking with them. It is about helping someone hold on long enough to believe that a different life is possible. Kira understands that on a deep level because she has lived it.

Today, Kira’s story stands as a reminder of what recovery can do. It can restore hope. It can create purpose. It can turn pain into impact. And it can help someone who once felt lost become the very person others look to for encouragement, understanding, and support.

We are proud to celebrate Kira Hare on this incredible accomplishment and all that it represents. Her journey to becoming a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist is not just a professional milestone. It is a victory built on resilience, healing, courage, and heart.

And now, through her work, Kira is helping light the way for others.

As Kira put it so beautifully:

“Recovery showed me that hope isn’t something you wait for – it’s something you give.”

That is exactly what she is doing.

Want to learn more about our CPRS training program or peer support services?
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