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Media
March 2, 2023

The Argonaut Recognizes Awakening Recovery’s New Women’s House

Awakening Recovery has raised over $2 million for the new women’s house, from major contributors and private donations.

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April 5, 2022

Community and Connection in Recovery

“If you are new to recovery, be sure to find connections and communities that are filled with loving and compassionate people in their own recovery,” says our Co-Founder and Executive […]

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November 29, 2021

Awakening Recovery Featured by Ashton Kutcher and A Plus

This week, Ashton Kutcher posted a video to his Facebook Page about Awakening Recovery. See the post here. A Plus is an online news outlet co-founded by Kutcher in 2014 […]

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October 6, 2021

Awakening Executive Director on Peji’s Recovery Corner

Our Executive Director, David Van Der Velde and Peji spoke recently about Awakening Recovery and his personal path to recovery in Peji’s Recovery Corner podcast. Watch the entire video here: […]

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August 20, 2021

BizWomen Features Joelene Knight “In Her Own Words”

“Finding balance before the pandemic was a challenge in and of itself. Navigating life as a business owner, non-profit board member at Awakening Recovery, mom of two teenage sons and […]

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August 20, 2021

Busy Living Sober Features Joelene Knight

Awakening Recovery Board Member, Joelene Knight recently appeared on the Busy Living Sober podcast and spoke candidly about her own road to recovery, as well as her journey and larger […]

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May 25, 2021

The Pride LA features David van der Velde’s Work in the LGBTQ+ Community

The Pride LA recently featured Awakening Recovery CEO and Co-Founder David van der Velde in an article where he shares about his decades helping those in the LGBTQ community seek […]

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April 12, 2021

The Hollywood Reporter Features Awakening Recovery’s Daly House

You may have seen our Press Release about the generous gift by the Daly family that has led to the naming of our men’s house. The Hollywood Reporter has picked […]

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March 23, 2021

PRESS RELEASE: AWAKENING RECOVERY NAMES FIRST MEN’S HOME “THE DALY HOUSE” FOLLOWING GENEROUS DONATION FROM THE DALY FAMILY

LOS ANGELES, CALIF. (March 23, 2021) — This week, Awakening Recovery, the LA based nonprofit that specializes in unique life-saving recovery homes announced its recovery home for men will now […]

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February 3, 2021

Awakening Recovery’s David Van Der Velde Featured in Thrive Global

David was recently featured on Thrive Global’s site. Among many other insights that David shared, he said: “If you just consistently show up, anything is possible. I balanced my old […]

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February 2, 2021

David Van Der Velde named a ‘Social Impact Hero’ by Authority Magazine

Authority Magazine featured Awakening Recovery’s David Van Dervelde in their recent article: Why & How David Van Der Velde of ‘Awakening Recovery’ is Helping To Change Our World.  Click here to […]

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February 26, 2020

David Van Der Velde Interviewed about the Addiction Epidemic on Channel Q show “Sidebar with John Duran”

Listen to “Sidebar with John Duran” regarding Methamphetamine, Fentanyl Overdoses and Recovery. Sidebar Interview With David Vandervelde and Jimmy Palmieri
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Serving Los Angeles and West Hollywood

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Donation Level

$5,000

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.