20 Stories of Impact

Julie Brenner, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Alliance remembers meeting Judge Edward Sosnick in 2014 shortly after he retired as a judge of the 6th Circuit Court in Oakland County in 2013. Judge Sosnick was running a non-profit organization called the Restore Foundation, which funded drug and alcohol treatment programs for young adults. 

As they talked, she realized that they shared a passion for reducing drug misuse in young people. Together, they thought, they could establish a council of organizations that could create a strategy and a plan to address the high incidence of recidivism associated with attempts to stop using drugs and the lack of a safety net for young people who tumbled into the abyss of drug misuse.

The result was a collaborative community response, and a safety net program called RESOLVE© Established in 2016, this program provides exceptional recovery support and life skills training by focusing on restoring the health and hope of people in recovery and their families. By providing education, tools and support, RESOLVE addresses the unique issues related to substance misuse recovery. One of Judge Sosnick’s dreams that he discussed with Brenner was to implement RESOLVE in Oakland County jails. As of May 15, 2024 that dream finally came true.

“Judge was a unique man who never stopped working on ways to help people overcome life challenges. A resolute family person, he was unfailingly cordial and compassionate. With his unique sense of humor, he could collaborate effectively and help people find common ground. He became a great friend and an instrumental partner for the Alliance and its work in recovery support - and he became a mentor for me. We at the Alliance miss his guidance and steady hand. I miss the man and his counsel. Knowing him made me a better executive and a better person,” said Brenner.

Prior to his involvement with the Alliance and Restore Foundation, Judge Sosnick served on the Michigan Domestic Violence Prevention and Treatment Board and was a founding member of the Oakland County Coordinating Council Against Domestic Violence. He helped conceive and launch HAVEN, a shelter, support and advocacy program for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. With Richard Victor, he created SMILE (Start Making it Livable for Everyone), a mandatory parent education program designed to help divorcing parents work together in their children’s best interests. SMILE is now used by agencies throughout the country.

Judge Sosnick passed away on September 22, 2023. He will be honored by the Alliance at its Annual Open House on November 19, 2024.