Our Story

We Help Parents Find Strength, Support, and Hope

The New Canaan Parent Support Group (NCPSG) was founded in 2016, the year after Paul Reinhardt’s son, Evan, died of an overdose. Out of grief and a desire to honor Evan’s life, Paul created NCPSG to support parents facing the challenges of addiction and mental health within their families.

Since then, NCPSG has grown into a trusted source of connection, compassion, and education. We offer weekly support meetings, monthly Pathway Sessions with expert speakers, an annual Community Addiction Awareness Vigil, and ongoing resources through our blog and monthly newsletter.

Key Events and Milestones

2016

On September 15th, the first weekly parent support group meeting was held at a local church.

2017

The first Community Addiction Awareness Vigil was held in downtown New Canaan, thanks to concerned local citizens (“Team Orange”) who created the event from scratch. Also in this year, New Canaan Community Foundation agreed to become NCPSG’s Fiscal Sponsor.

2018

Education and awareness became reinforced in our Mission as we hosted our first Pathway Session. Also in this year, we launched our website, featuring resources, events, and blog posts.

2020

NCPSG’s Monthly Newsletter, including our Recovery Story Blog, was introduced. During the pandemic, we transitioned many of our events to a Zoom format, which allowed us to widen our exposure and reach. Our 4th Annual Vigil, held virtually, attracted more than 2,000 views.

2023

Families Empower Recovery was initiated as our Vigil tagline. We also hosted our 50th Pathway Session!

2024

500 people attended the New Canaan Vigil for the first time, making it by far the largest event of its kind in the state. We also hosted our 400th parent support meeting.

2025 and Beyond

Parents Come First

With our parent support meetings, we feel we are filling a vacuum of need in our community. For recovery to happen, the entire family needs to heal. We call it the "parallel process" of recovery.

We vow to continue to marshall resources to benefit all local moms and dads affected by substance use in their families.

Continuous Improvement

We are always open to new ideas and the successful experiences of others. We believe we can continually improve our offerings to families, as we network.

NCPSG's goal is to connect the dots, whether its strengthening relationships among parents, or bringing providers and experts together to promote insights for all.

Saving Lives Through Stories

Starting with the 2024 Vigil, we have emphasized the Power of Story. Through our platforms, specifically our events, meetings and newsletter, one hundred Stories have been told openly. These stories, from courageous and vulnerable speakers, not only educate by save lives. We look forward to reaching our next milestone--200!

Our Founder

Determined to honor his beloved son, Evan, and bring addiction challenges out of the shadows, Paul Reinhardt founded NCPSG in 2016.

Paul’s advocacy work has been recognized with numerous honors, including the 2019 Town Champion Award from Laurel House, the 2024 Behavioral Health Hero Award from the CT Provider Liaison Association, and the 2025 Spirit of Hope Honoree Award from Liberation Programs.

His story—and Evan’s—continues to inspire our mission to build a compassionate, stigma-free community of support and hope.

Read Paul's Bio

More About Us

Our Team

Our Team is bonded by our passion for helping those who struggle and to celebrate those who have found recovery.

Learn More

Our Vision

To imagine a community of people with understanding about addiction and recovery, who proactively reach out with empathy and kindness to those who struggle.