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  • spring summer sober living newsletter 2020
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CONTACT US

2020 Awakening - All Rights Reserved

Serving Los Angeles and West Hollywood

los angeles sober living

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.

Donation Level

$50,000

Scholarship Angel
Provide a full-year resident scholarship

$25,000

Founder
Empower a resident to become a senior member

$10,000

Defender
Feed a resident for 3 months

$5,000

Sentinel
Provide a long-term scholarship for a resident whose income has been displaced due to COVID 19

$2,500

Guardian
Fund a delivery of house supplies for a month

$1,500

Warrior
Provide a short-term scholarship for one of our residents whose job was cut due to COVID-19

$1,000

Awakening
Fund random weekly drug and alcohol testing for a month

$500

Courage
Fund a month of Saturday group meetings by video to keep our residents connected and anchored

$250

Faith
Fund a month of special meditation sessions designed to help cope with the COVID-19 crisis

$150

Hope
Connect our residents with alumni in peer and 1:1 video discussions for a day