Today we’d like to introduce you to Susan Long.
Hi Susan, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
On paper, my life today looks stable—I hold both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Social Work, I’m a licensed LSW and LCADC, and I lead a nonprofit that means everything to me. But my path here was anything but straightforward.
Growing up, I had a rocky home life and struggled with ADHD and intense anxiety. I wanted to feel accepted and connected, and I didn’t know how to cope. I had my first drink at 12, and over time that turned into years of substance use—pills, meth, opiates, cocaine. For more than 20 years, my life spiraled.
At my lowest point, I was living in Las Vegas, moving between a car, motels, the streets, and casinos, just trying to survive and feed my addiction. I was physically and emotionally broken. I felt stuck, like I was living the same painful day over and over again. I tried treatment, but I never stayed long enough or had the support to make it work. At the time, I didn’t even realize how much I was part of the problem. I didn’t know how to be honest or how to live a healthy life—with or without drugs.
Everything changed on November 16, 2013. My former husband came to Las Vegas, searched for me, and brought me back to New Jersey. That moment forced me to face my reality. I had to make a choice—to take responsibility for my life and accept help.
When I got back, I connected with support through the Atlantic County Board of Social Services, Jewish Family Service of Atlantic & Cape May Counties, and the Atlantic Homeless Alliance. With their help, I was able to get benefits, housing, and treatment through AtlantiCare Behavioral Health. For the first time, I had consistent support, and that made all the difference.
About 15 months into my recovery, I got my first job as a Recovery Tech and Counselor Intern with the Hansen Foundation. I started to realize that my experiences and everything I had been through could actually help someone else. I went on to work as a PATH outreach case manager with JFS, supporting people facing homelessness and severe mental health challenges. I learned how to meet people exactly where they were literally and figuratively, to build trust, and that became the foundation of my work. I love hitting the streets and connecting with people. They desperately need positive support and often feel invisible to the rest of the world.
In 2019, I was promoted to a supervisory role with the Atlantic Homeless Alliance at JFS—the same organization that once helped me rebuild my life.
Today, I’m over 12 years sober and serve as the Executive Director of Angels in Motion New Jersey. I began volunteering with Angels in Motion in 2015 and I fell in love with the mission. This organization truly gave me purpose. We are a grassroots organization focused on helping people struggling with substance use, homelessness, and mental health challenges. Our mission is simple: meet people where they are with kindness. Everything we do is rooted in dignity, compassion, and removing barriers so people can truly rebuild their lives.
This work is deeply personal to me. I’ve seen firsthand how the right support, at the right time, can change everything. Whether it’s helping someone find treatment or recovery housing, get identification, or just feel seen and supported, we are with them every step of the way on their journey.
My story isn’t just about where I’ve been—it’s about what’s possible. And today, I’m committed to helping others find their way forward, just like I did.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It hasn’t been a smooth road. Getting Angels in Motion New Jersey to where it is today – and becoming who I am today took years and years of very hard work, fundraising, learning how to write grants, sleepless nights!!
When I first got involved with Angels in Motion, I was still early in my own recovery and healing journey. I was trying to rebuild my life at the same time I was helping others rebuild theirs. I was working full-time in the field, going to school to earn both my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees, and trying to stay grounded in my recovery—all at once. There were a lot of moments where it felt overwhelming and I wanted to give up, but I had a dream that I knew could and would help so many others. I could see so many gaps and barriers in the systems that needed to be filled. There were many unsupported people struggling with substance use disorder in our community and high numbers of overdoses.
When we brought the blessing bag and outreach concept to Atlantic County, we had very little. We were just a small group of volunteers and a shared belief that we could make a difference. In 2017, we were serving about 150 people as a fully volunteer-run effort. There was no roadmap, no funding, and no guarantees—just consistency, trust-building, and showing up over and over again.
Growing Angels in Motion NJ into what it is today—a professional organization with staff, drop in Wellness Center, and a respected reputation in the social work and recovery community—took years of persistence. Building relationships, earning trust in the community, and proving that our work mattered didn’t happen overnight. There were challenges with resources, capacity, and balancing rapid growth with staying true to our mission.
But every struggle shaped what we’ve become. What started as simple blessing bags has turned into hundreds of thousands of meaningful connections—offering not just basic necessities, but hope, dignity, and access to real support.
So no, it hasn’t been easy—but it’s been worth every step.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
At the core, what I do is help people get from crisis to stability. I work with individuals dealing with substance use, homelessness, and mental health challenges, and I focus a lot on outreach—actually meeting people where they are, building trust, and helping them take real steps forward.
What I really specialize in is connection. I’m good at reaching people who don’t trust the system or have been let down before. I don’t just hand someone a number and send them on their way. I will walk through it with them. I stay involved. I think that’s a big part of why the work actually sticks. The folks we serve know we truly care about them and see their worth and potential.
What I’m most proud of isn’t something flashy—it’s the people. The ones who were sleeping outside and now have a place to live, the ones who didn’t think change was possible and are now doing better. Those moments don’t always get seen, but they matter the most. Many of our volunteers were unhoused on the streets given blessing bags by us and now they are in recovery, roofs over their heads, and giving back. It is truly beautiful. That is what I am most proud of- watching them grow, the light go on in their eyes, and find their purpose.
What sets me apart is that I’ve been on both sides of this. I understand how the system works, but I also know what it feels like to need help, not know where to find it, and not know where to start. So I approach people differently—more real, less judgment, and a lot of consistency. Consistency is key. And honestly, sometimes that’s what makes the biggest difference.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
I don’t really define success by titles or numbers.
For me, success is the small, real-life moments—someone getting off the street and into a safe place, someone answering my call when they used to disappear, someone starting to believe in themselves again. It’s progress, even when it’s not perfect.
It’s also consistency—showing up, doing the work, and being someone people can rely on. If the people I serve feel supported, respected, and a little more hopeful than they did before, that means I’m doing something right.
And honestly, success to me is just staying grounded—continuing to grow, staying in my own recovery, never forgetting where I come from, and not losing sight of why I started this work in the first place.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://angelsinmotionnj.com
- Instagram: @angelsinmotionnj
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AIM.AngelsInMotionNJ/
