Narcotics Education League

What is their story?

Narcotics Education League, Inc. (N.E.L.)  was founded February 3,1970 by Juan Covarrubias, its first Executive Director.  N.E.L. was another way to say "Ya Basta!" (No More!) to alcohol and drug addiction. N.E.L. programs were designed to provide recovery services in Spanish and English, filling a much-needed void in the Fruitvale district of East Oakland. Over the years it grew to provide a wide range of services to the community: 

• N.E.L. Outpatient Counseling Center still exists today as Si Se Puede.

• El Canton was a licensed residential program for recovering addicts, (20 Beds).

• El Chante, a licensed 20 Bed Recovery home for recovering addicts who are Spanish speaking, was the first of its kind in California back in the 1970's. El Chante continues today to serve men recovering from substance abuse.

• Mujeres Con Esperanza was established to serve women who are pregnant and/or parenting in an addictive relationship or themselves have addiction. It still exists today.

• N.E.L. Employment Program for ex-addicts and ex-prisoners.

• N.E.L. Centro de Juventud started as a youth recreation and counseling center and continues today to serve youth with more clinical structured counseling.

Today, La Familia Counseling Service is the parent agency of what was once N.E.L. It continues to honor the agency's philosophy and has enhanced the facilities while continuing the services at all the locations.