of Northwest Florida  (850) 939-4999

The beginning of NCADD of NW Florida

Leo Donnelly is the founder and Executive Director of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence of Northwest Florida.  He founded this organization because he has a deeply personal interest in trying to make a difference in the lives of people impacted by the disease of alcoholism and drug dependency.  His passion for making a difference is fueled by both his childhood family and his adult family being destroyed by alcoholism and drug dependence.  His parents both suffered from alcoholism and drug dependence.  Their dependency negatively affected Leo, his brother, and three sisters.  They learned things like:

In the nearly 30 years he has been sober, he has buried his mother, his father, and one of his sons as a direct result of their own chemical dependencies. He has struggled in relationships because of the effects of chemical dependency.

In a 1999 Leo was interviewed for an article in Addiction magazine at the height of the "Adult Child of an Alcoholic” movement. The article reported it this way: “Leo’s story sounds well rehearsed, as if he has told it many times before.  Occasionally, a tone of surprise and anger creeps in.  Maybe it’s despair for the wasted time and wasted lives.”

He has told that story many times, and he continues to be surprised that there are times when he can still feel the anger and grief over those wasted lives.

Leo started his recovery path in 1980 and had been working in the addiction field for a number of years when his son, Michael, died from an overdose of alcohol and cocaine.  Leo was facilitating a weekend workshop when he learned of his son's death. He will never forget the anguish sitting in the funeral home with Michael, thinking, “Why him?  Why not me…”  soon followed by a resolve to do all he could to change the future and try to prevent the disease of chemical dependency from destroying families. 

“I have got to do more, do something to make a difference,” he thought.  

Years later a friend who knew of his passion for helping those suffering from addiction, both individuals and families, approached him and asked if he would like some money to help others.  That was the start of his dream and the founding of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence of Northwest Florida – an organization dedicated to making a difference in the lives of people impacted by the disease.

In the beginning, the one person organization worked trying to provide services for Escambia, Santa Rosa, and Okaloosa counties, responding to approximately 700 to 1,000 calls a year. All of that came about strictly through word-of-mouth.

That was then.

In Escambia, Santa Rosa, and Okaloosa counties, the population numbered 607,000 in 2004.  Many years of research supports data that an average of one person out of ten suffers from the disease of chemical dependency, and that one person has a negative effect on a minimum of six others.  At a minimum 70% of the population is affected in a negative way by chemical dependency.  This represents approximately 485,000 in the three county area affected in a negative way by a disease that is treatable!  There is an enormous gap between 1,000 calls versus a possibility of 485,000!

“Call Leo” is just not enough any more.  The three locations must be fully staffed in the three counties in order to meet the demand of continuing to provide the opportunity for change, and to let individuals and their families know they do have a choice.  Individuals and families can speak up and be heard, and helped.  The driving force behind this organization is to be there, offering the hope and help that is needed and deserved.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

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