Cumulative Gifts of $1,000 and above - includes donations towards our Women’s House. On behalf of our Board of Directors, staff, graduate community, and residents, thank you! *through December 31, 2022
Olympia Ammon
Claudine Andrews
Annenberg Foundation
Anonymous
Gabriel Arechaederra
Jonathon Aubry and Abdi Nazemian
Helen Cho
City of West Hollywood
County Line Electric, Inc
Bobby and Krishna Daly
Carole Bayer Sager and Bob Daly
Daniel Davidson
Marc de Longeville and Margo Thole
Mark Freund and Trice Koopman (Brookside)
Ken and Lori Goldman
Beth and Russel Gould
Gratitude Retreat Foundation
Nick Hamatake and Ken Mariash, Jr.
Alexander Kadish
Blake Levy and Jason Schneidman
Alice and Richard Matzkin
McMillen Family Foundation
The Oliver S. and Jennie R. Donaldson Charitable Trust
Larry and Lillian Postaer
John Pujol
Lynda and Stewart Resnick, through their foundation
Robert Richman
Mark Saltzman
The Semel Charitable Foundation
Skylight Foundation, The Gary and Carol Milgard Family
Sentinel
Help fund resident activities for one year
$2,500
Guardian
Help fund resident-prepared meals for one month
$1,500
Warrior
Help fund house supplies for one month
$1,000
Awakening
Fund random weekly drug and alcohol testing for two months
$500
Courage
Help fund resident activities for one month
$250
Faith
Fund a resident activity for one month
$100
Hope
Fund resident meals for one day
$50
Strength
Fund video meeting capability in the house for one month
David Van Der Velde
Executive Director & Co-Founder
David got clean and sober in 1988 at the age of 19, close to death from his own struggles with drug addiction and alcoholism. Now 32+ years clean and sober, he has been consistently active in his recovery community by mentoring others, serves on recovery and youth related non-profit Boards such as LifeWorks and the West Hollywood Recovery Center, and serves on panels at institutions speaking from his own experience about recovery.
In 2015, David chose to transition from a 25-year career in producing large-scale corporate events for the sports, entertainment and non-profit sectors, to co-founding Awakening Recovery as its Executive Director and Board member, helping those looking for a long-term recovery solution regardless of access to funds. Additionally, David has successfully completed his Certificate in Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counseling from UCLA. He now devotes his personal and professional life to helping people find a long-term recovery solution from drug addiction and alcoholism through the life-saving work at Awakening Recovery and in his recovery community at large.
Joelene Knight, CADC-CAS
Joelene Knight, is the Executive Director and Co-Founder of Grace Recovery, a sub-acute and residential treatment program located in Hollywood, California, as well as a Board Member at Awakening Recovery, a unique life-saving nonprofit that specializes in recovery homes with a long-term, 12-Step addiction solution that creates a lasting change in core beliefs and behaviors.
Joelene is trained as a Certified Addiction Counselor and received her CADAC from UCLA in 2001. With 30-years of experience in the behavioral health, addiction, and recovery field, Joelene began her career in 1991 as a Community Outreach Specialist, providing counseling to high-risk youth, adolescents and their families. Joelene’s experience has spanned from delivering HIV prevention, education, and testing to individuals impacted by substance use disorders, to providing clinical expertise, insight, and programming as a Director and Clinical Advisor for multiple treatment programs in Southern California. She volunteered for the City of Los Angeles as a Crisis Response Team member, where she acted as a liaison for members of the city who were tragically impacted by homicide, suicide, and unforeseen deaths.
Joelene’s genuine and empathic nature is the foundation of her drive and service, which led her to build a continuum of care based on her expertise. In 2018, Joelene branded and opened Grace Recovery with her longtime friend and colleague. Grace Recovery is the culmination of years of experience, passion, purpose, and expertise. The foundation of Joelene’s unwavering commitment to providing ethical treatment to those in need is a testament to her past and current roles, as advocate, educator, clinical leader, crisis management, and behavior and addiction specialist.
David got clean and sober in 1988 at the age of 19, close to death from his own struggles with drug addiction and alcoholism. Now 32+ years clean and sober, he has been consistently active in his recovery community by mentoring others, serves on recovery and youth related non-profit Boards such as LifeWorks and the West Hollywood Recovery Center, and serves on panels at institutions speaking from his own experience about recovery.
Joelene Knight, is the Executive Director and Co-Founder of Grace Recovery, a sub-acute and residential treatment program located in Hollywood, California, as well as a Board Member at Awakening Recovery, a unique life-saving nonprofit that specializes in recovery homes with a long-term, 12-Step addiction solution that creates a lasting change in core beliefs and behaviors.