Photo by Ben Hider/PictureGroup

Friday, March 5, was an incredible day for all of us at Phoenix House. Pop superstar Beyoncé and her mother, fashion designer Tina Knowles joined us for the opening of the Beyoncé Cosmetology Center at our Phoenix House Career Academy in Brooklyn. The new Cosmetology Center will offer a seven-month cosmetology training course, helping our clients gain the career skills they need to lead productive, rewarding lives in recovery.

At the ribbon cutting ceremony—after remarks from New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, OASAS Commissioner Karen Carpenter-Palumbo, and Tina Knowles—Beyoncé spoke about meeting with women in treatment at Phoenix House while preparing for the role of Etta James in the 2008 film Cadillac Records. “Through their stories, I realized that all of us have our personal struggles and we all have something to overcome,” she said. “Drug addiction…has a stigma that must be removed. Addiction is a disease and these beautiful women I met did not choose to become addicts, but they have chosen to get better.”

Later donating her salary from the film, Beyoncé wanted to create a program that was geared toward women, “something that would teach them skills that would give them hope even after Phoenix House.” Together, she and her mother, who owned a popular hair salon in Houston when she was growing up, came up with the idea of our new cosmetology program.

As a child, she observed that her mother’s salon was a place for women to “share stories, cry, laugh, and get advice”—and she wanted to bring that experience the women at Phoenix House. “The first sign of recovery is caring about your appearance,” she said. “And hopefully, this Center will be a place that will change lots of lives every year.”

We express our heartfelt gratitude to Beyoncé and Miss Tina for their tremendous gift, which will indeed change lives.

Check out the coverage below and stay tuned for more:

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The event began at the Emmanuel Baptist Church in Albany, where featured speakers included Commissioner Karen Carpenter-Palumbo from the Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS), Father Peter Young, Assemblyman Felix Ortiz, and Senator Thomas Duane (D-NY).

After enjoying lunch together, the group of two hundred strong marched to the New York State Capitol in support of increased funding for the OASAS Recovery Community Center initiative. We at Phoenix House were happy to be part of this important effort.

At a dinner following the event, the Pepsi team presented a generous check for over $25,000 to the Phoenix Academy School Arts Program. “I’m so pleased with this year’s results,” said Mitch Adamek, SVP & Chief Procurement Officer for Pepsi. “To spend a fun afternoon with these students while enriching their education is a win for them and a win for our team.”

The Arts Program, spearheaded by retired Academy teacher Janet Eisenman, provides exciting cultural opportunities for students, like the recent visit from a trapeze troupe and an excursion to attend a concert at Carnegie hall.

We thank the Pepsi team for helping to make these opportunities possible for our kids. We look forward to working with them as well as Green Chimneys on future endeavors!

The Recovery Celebration began with a recognition ceremony, during which two celebrants, Tracy and Lisa, shared their stories and described the way Phoenix House helped them reclaim their lives. This year, we also welcomed a special guest speaker, world-renowned DJ Grandmaster Flash, founder of the rap group Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. Flash discussed his own struggle with addiction and the dreams he was able to achieve in recovery.

Phoenix House New York regional director Clyde Rush,  president and CEO Howard Meitiner, and founder Mitch Rosenthal, MD, also saluted the group.

After celebrants were called to the stage to receive their certificates, the festivities continued with dinner and dancing.

Ms. Ellis received this year’s Phoenix Rising Award from Phoenix House at the dinner.  On hand, along with celebrated humanitarian Wyclef Jean, were Eli Manning and Shaun O’Hara of the New York Giants and a host of other well-known figures from the music and entertainment community.  Chairing the event were Lisa’s colleagues at Fireman Capital Partners, Paul and Dan Fireman.

After a taped tribute from Shaquille O’Neal, Miri Ben-Ari, the Israeli-born, classically-trained “Hip-Hop Violinist” and Grammy Award-winning songwriter gave a stellar performance at the dinner, receiving a standing ovation from the crowd.

Proceeds from the event went to support the work of Phoenix House, and dinner guests heard from two young people who found and are finding their way to recovery at a Phoenix House treatment program.

Nancy Rosa was a good student before trying to fit in with the popular crowd. She was caught selling and using drugs and spent four months in jail.  Arrested once again, she was given the choice of treatment at the Phoenix Academy residential high school instead of prison and opted for a new life, a ‘new Nancy’.  “For me, the great lesson at Phoenix House was coming to know who I really wanted to be.  I‘m not there yet, but I’m getting there, I finished up at the Academy last December.  I’m making up the credits I need to get into college.  I want to study Performing Arts.  My dream is to become an actress.”

Nick Kapstatter took a different route to treatment. He was drinking heavily and came to Phoenix House after he blacked out at a subway token booth. “The biggest lesson I’ve learned at Phoenix House is patience.  That was hard and still is.  I learned the difference between what I wanted and what I needed and how to live life on its own terms.  I came to understand that I was, deep down, a decent guy who had made a mistake, and could get past it.”
The evening ended with a very special performance by Wyclef Jean, who improvised a song dedicated to the life-changing work of Phoenix House that kept the napkin twirlers on their feet.

Stories of Recovery: Click here to read the remarks from the two Phoenix House speakers, Nick and Nancy.

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Many thanks to the event chairs: Linda and Jeffrey Chodorow, Cristina Cuomo, Chris DeWolfe, Peter Ezersky, Liz Lange, Diane and Alan Lieberman, Tatiana and Campion Platt and Lauran and Charlie Walk.  Lauran and Charlie Walk were toasted for their indefatigable work on behalf of the Committee.

Many local businesses lent their support to the event; making contributions including Martha Clara Vineyards, Sparkling Pointe Vineyards, Glaceau and Long Island Vodka, and Kristina Klug from Tiffany & Co. donated lovely gifts in recognition of the Kellners and the Binns efforts on behalf of Phoenix House. Phoenix House Board members came out in full force to support the evening including: Phoenix House Foundation Chairman Jeff McDermott, board members Rose Marie Bravo CBE, Allan Cohen, Eric Friedman, George Friedman, Carol Hertling, Doug Schoen, Jay Snyder, Annette Tapert, and Byron Wien.  And Phoenix House Vice Chairman, George Kellner could not have been a more gracious host.

The star of the evening was a young man named Chris who has been receiving treatment at the Phoenix Academy.  His honesty and resilience moved everyone in the audience, as his mother looked on with pride.

After nearly two weeks of rain, Mother Nature cooperated and the sun shone brightly throughout this glorious evening.

Over 2,000 celebrities and spectators are expected at this well-loved Hamptons rite of summer. This year’s teams will include: Alec Baldwin, Christie Brinkley, Carl Bernstein, Mort Zuckerman, Lori Singer, B. Smith, Dan Gasby, Greg Bello, Ken Auletta, James Lipton, Jeffrey Lyons, Juliet Papa, Edward Nahem, Kim Stolz, Bonnie Bernstein, Mark Ciardi, Rod Gilbert, Mike Lupica, Bert Sugar, Richard Reeves, and many more to come. Bill Clinton, who has served as an umpire at past events, has written a note of welcome for this year’s attendees.

Phoenix House is one of the nation’s leading non-profit drug and alcohol addiction, prevention, and treatment organizations, serving close to 7,500 men, women (including women with children), and teens each day at more than 152 drug and alcohol treatment and prevention programs in 10 states.

In East Hampton, Phoenix House operates an outpatient center that offers group, individual, and family therapy; and in Wainscott, the organization runs the Phoenix Academy of Long Island, providing residential treatment to teens along with educational and vocational services. Students from the Phoenix Academy of Long Island will be selling hot dogs and other concession items at the game. For information, visit www.phoenixhouse.org.

The event is sponsored by HBO, Mort Zuckerman, CNBC, Ultra Motor, Grumbacher Paints, Spanierman Gallery, Lafayette 148, Alfred Dunner, Snapple, Kaufman Allied Patio Furniture, Stu Sleppin, Kimco, 1010 WINS, Walter Bernard Design, Ronnette Riley Architect, Hollander Design, Madison Copy, Shana Alexander Foundation, B. Smith & Dan Gasby, LIRR, Hollander Design, Thinkscan.com, Fred & Lora Drasner, Edward Nahem Fine Art, Robert Kandall, William Salloway, Ocean Vista Resort, Kendall Veenema, Dr. Wayne Winnick, Eric Ernst & David Gamble – for the Artists Secret Society, Javer Family, The Lodge Restaurant, Janice & Alfred Kelman, Alec Baldwin Foundation, Regan Santry, Shevack Family, U.S. Sports Film Festival, John & Jackie Leo, J & M Emporium, Lane Brettschneider & Caroline DesJardins, and Boulevard Magazine.
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