When Marty read the first chapters of the Alcoholics Anonymous text, “the Big Book,” she had a profound realization: that she wasn’t alone; that she wasn’t “crazy”; and that “alcoholism was a disease and not a moral shortcoming.”

This one-time debutante and successful business woman, turned unfulfilled and sick with alcoholism, began her journey into addiction recovery. Marty became one of the first-ever women to successfully achieve sobriety in Alcoholics Anonymous, and subsequently brought her passion for recovery far beyond the walls of the 12-step meeting room.

Marty found that other women were often reluctant to seek help. At the time, many people believed that alcohol use disorder among women was caused by underlying psychiatric problems, and that alcohol use problems were more pathological among women than among men.

Source: Obama White House Archives

This disappointing revelation was the spark which led to her declaration of war on the social stigma attached to addiction. In 1944, Marty established what’s now known as the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD), an organization started to serve a dual purpose: 

First, to have a proactive national education and advocacy program attacking the stigma and misunderstanding about alcoholism, treatment and recovery;

Second, to operate service centers in communities across the country staffed by professionals helping individuals and families with addiction problems (sound familiar?).

Eventually, NCADD affiliate offices were brought to New Jersey, one of which was opened in none other than Union County’s town of Westfield. Later becoming known as Prevention Links, our agency has stayed true to the model created by Marty Mann while building towards a brighter future: