There was a time when I could not have imagined the responsibilities I carry today. My life revolved around heroin addiction, incarceration, and the consequences of my decisions. Today, I run a nonprofit, study social work, and help people facing challenges I understand firsthand.
I bridged the distance between those two lives through daily choices, difficult lessons, and a growing willingness to take responsibility.
I am originally from Tucson, Arizona. I spent nearly two decades struggling with heroin addiction and a total of 12 years incarcerated. Those years are part of my story, and I own them. They also shaped my understanding of how hard it can be to rebuild a life when you start with limited resources and a history that follows you. I have been sober since 2019. Recovery gave me the opportunity to begin again, but I still had to learn how to live differently. I needed direction, healthy routines, and a way to contribute.
Over time, helping others became an important part of that process. I entered the behavioral health field and worked in direct support, case management, and program leadership. Those experiences allowed me to see recovery from several perspectives. I understood what it felt like to need help, and I began learning what it takes to provide that help consistently and responsibly.
One issue kept standing out: housing.
People could make meaningful progress in treatment and still struggle because they lacked a stable place to live. Someone might be ready to find work, attend appointments, and rebuild relationships, but those goals become much harder to achieve when their living situation is uncertain.
In late 2024, I founded the Noah Lee Foundation to help address that gap. The idea behind the foundation is simple: give people something to build on. We focus on recovery housing that combines stability with structure, mentorship, accountability, and service.
Having a place to live creates an opportunity. What someone does with that opportunity matters. I believe people deserve compassion and clear expectations. My own experiences have taught me to recognize the weight of someone’s circumstances while still respecting their ability to make decisions and take responsibility. I want the people we serve to develop confidence through what they accomplish, including the small commitments they keep every day.
Running the foundation has also challenged me to grow. I manage expenses, support house managers, coordinate with community partners, and respond to emergencies. Every decision affects people who depend on the organization. I have learned that leadership requires consistency, especially when the work becomes stressful or inconvenient.
It also requires a willingness to keep learning. I am pursuing my Bachelor of Social Work at Grand Canyon University, with the long-term goal of becoming a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. My lived experience helps me connect with people. Education, training, and guidance help me serve them more effectively.
That commitment to growth also shapes my work developing Protos, a structured leadership curriculum organized around three phases: Forge, Structure, and Identity. It brings together practical exercises, brotherhood, fellowship, and Twelve Step integration to help people establish routines and consider who they want to become.
The identity piece matters deeply to me. When addiction and incarceration have occupied years of your life, it can be difficult to picture yourself in another role. Becoming a dependable employee, a present parent, a mentor, or a community leader takes practice. You begin building that identity through your actions.
I am still doing that work myself. Founding an organization has not made me finished or exempt from personal growth. I still have lessons to learn, goals to complete, and areas where I need to improve. Carrying responsibility for others makes it even more important to stay willing to examine myself.
I have also learned how much this work depends on relationships. Recovery housing, treatment providers, and community organizations each contribute something valuable. When we communicate and work together, we can help people move through difficult transitions with greater support.
My focus now is on strengthening the foundation: building sustainable programs, supporting the people who help operate our homes, and creating partnerships that expand opportunities for residents. I know what it is like to need a way forward. Today, I have the opportunity, and the responsibility, to help create one for others.
That is what “Something to Build On” means to me. A stable place to begin. A commitment you can keep. An opportunity to contribute. And, over time, a life you have taken responsibility for building.
