Welcome Abby Foster!

We are thrilled to announce Abby Foster’s return to WakeUp Carolina as our new C.A.R.E.S. Coordinator! In this vital role, Abby will enhance our community-focused approach to supporting individuals and families affected by substance use. She also leads the Healing Hearts Gathering, our weekly grief support group at the Mount Pleasant location, which proudly celebrates its recent two-year anniversary. This milestone honors the countless lives touched by Abby’s compassionate care and leadership.

With nearly a decade of experience in recovery advocacy, mental health care, and peer support, Abby is a passionate advocate for change. Early in her recovery journey, she embraced the New Recovery Movement and the transformative concept of “Recovering Out Loud.” Abby reflects, “This was the missing piece for me—the tools that enabled me to replace guilt and shame with ownership and responsibility. I learned to discuss addiction and recovery without stigma. My painful past transformed into a powerful resource to help inspire change in others as well as in my community.”

On October 4, 2015, Abby stood alongside tens of thousands at the Unite to Face Addiction rally on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The following day, she engaged with congressional leaders, advocating critical legislation such as CARA, the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, and the REDEEM Act. As a Young People in Recovery (YPR) member, she trained in the Language of Recovery, helping individuals and families create personalized recovery statements. These empowering community experiences ignited Abby’s commitment to inspire hope, help others, and encourage them to find their voice.

Abby began her career by earning her Certified Peer Support Specialist (CPSS) certification and working as a recovery coach while pursuing her Master of Social Work at the University of South Carolina. In 2017, she became WakeUp Carolina’s second employee, tasked with developing the Recovery Pillar under Nanci’s visionary leadership. Abby created programming for Creighton’s House, our young adult recovery initiative, and successfully facilitated the first all-recovery meeting in June 2018.

Since then, Abby has continued to deepen her expertise, completing EMDR training through EMDRIA and earning international certification as a Master Addiction Counselor (MAC). In 2022, she achieved her independent social work license (LISW-CP/LCSW) and opened Two Wolves Collaborative, a private practice focused on helping individuals impacted by addiction and trauma.

Abby’s leadership will undoubtedly strengthen the C.A.R.E.S. initiative and further our mission at WakeUp Carolina: to break stigma, save lives, and empower recovery through community, education, and action.

Please join us in warmly welcoming Abby Foster back to the WakeUp Carolina team and celebrating the second anniversary of the Healing Hearts Gathering—a true space of compassion, remembrance, and hope.