John Hartnett | He/Him
President
Book with John
Let’s Talk… Overcome Addiction
Recovery Service Navigator
Meadville Medical Center
March 2018 – October 2025
John served Meadville Medical Center as their Recovery Service Navigator from 2018 through 2025. John helped his health system, community, individuals and family members navigate the complex and overwhelming Substance Use Disorder treatment process, and recovery.
John describes his role as: “helping people however they will let me”. It is important to note that help is defined by the person requesting it. John first tries to get to know the whole person, what’s happened to them, and where they dream to be. Then based on where they have been and where they want to go, John makes suggestions about wise actions they can take to get there, and connects them with the help that resonates with them.
- Held space for folks in crisis and followed-up with referral to treatment or appropriate community resources
- Created complex person-centered solutions to meet folks needs
- Advocated on behalf of individuals in crisis towards stabilization and recovery
- Provided recovery support services to support folks ongoing recovery efforts
- Connected folks with appropriate supports and community organizations to aid in recovery
- Created solutions to ensure continued recovery orientation and sustainable recovery
- Bridged gaps in services and eliminated treatment and recovery barriers
- Acquainted individuals, friends, families, and community with available recovery resources
- Visited with folks in acute medical need as a result of their circumstances
- Maintained helpline with 24/7 availability to connect folks to resources
John organized his neighbors to create a mutual-help model for a cold weather warming shelter. John was pushing for such a program since March 2020, after a young man, Luca Brownell, froze to death in Meadville. John’s resolve towards this goal was doubled on 14-February-2024 when he encountered a young friend in a mildly hypothermic state outside of a local gas station. John enlisted support from multiple organizations in the community and Shelter Area Meadville (SAM) pilot season launched on 15-November-2024.
Shelter Area Meadville’s second season began on 12-November-2025 as a program of Erie United Methodist Association (EUMA) and the Family, Children, Community Association (FCCA).
- Orchestrated a community-wide response alongside community members, organizations, and local government to meet an identified community need.
- Authored Standard Operating Procedure for a low barrier and trauma informed overnight cold weather shelter program staffed by community volunteers.
- Created training program and trained partners to hold space overnight for unhoused folks (friends).
- Implemented and scheduled partners to provide 865 warm bed nights for 67 friends.
In 2020, John launched anonymous anonymous (doublea), a mutual help support group for all people.
anonymous anonymous is fashioned organizationally and in format after the Twelve Step Mutual Help Organization (TSMHO) model that began with Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). anonymous anonymous has developed some steps, but their role is deemphasized considerably compared to our predecessors.
As the organization evolves, it is becoming clear that the most important aspect is gathering together and connecting with other people seeking connection.
John created anonymous anonymous to break down the silos between various recovery traditions, so that we can all gather together and grow together, based on our one common bond… our humanity.
John joined the steering committee of the Crawford County Food Alliance in September 2025. Find the CCFA Food Resource Guide at: crawfood.com/food.
Meadville Neighborhood Center is an organization that epitomizes John’s personal, vocational, and community-oriented goals. Meadville Neighborhood Center’s mission, “engaging the community in the success of our students and neighbors,” resonates deeply with John. He views it as foundational in his community organization efforts and personal and community recovery. Meadville Neighborhood Center’s placemaking events bring together neighbors that otherwise may never connect, and thus never benefit from the healing nature of connection in safe and welcoming third places.
My Meadville developed from a Community Heart & Soul project by the Orton Family Foundation. My Meadville is designed to bring our community together by talking about and identifying what matters most to all of us – the heart and soul of the City of Meadville, so to speak.
Crawford Clean Slate’s vision is for everyone in our community to have a fair opportunity to work, have a safe home, access education and training programs, take care of their family, and contribute to their community.
Hayden House is a recovery housing program in development in Meadville, Pennsylvania.
NAACP | Meadville Branch | Unit 2271