The Van Ness Recovery House is celebrating its 50th Anniversary in the city of West Hollywood. The oldest LGBT recovery house in the nation located at 1919 N Beachwood, in Los Angeles, is hosting a Carnival Celebration on Saturday, September 30, 2023, at Fiesta Hall and the Great Lawn at Plummer Park from 1:00 p.m to 7:00 p.m. The celebration will also be in recognition of September as National Recovery Month. The Carnival is free and open to the community and will include food, games, and entertainment.
At a regular city council meeting on July 17, 2023, the West Hollywood city council approved Agenda Item 6.A which recommended the approval of the co-sponsorship of the 50th anniversary celebration. The city is waiving any Facility Use Fees, Special Event Permit Fees, Encroachment Permit Fees, and the 3-hour parking limit at the Plummer Park parking lot for event participants, and any other ancillary City permits that may be required for the event.
The Van Ness Recovery House is a non-profit organization whose mission is to meet the critical and expanding needs of the LGBTQ+ community for alcohol and drug addiction recovery. The 20-bed residential treatment facility opened in 1973 and was one of the first facilities to welcome people with HIV and AIDS into residential addiction recovery treatment. The Recovery House utilizes the principles of Alcoholics Anonymous, and provides day and residential treatment, sober living, education, prevention, and outreach services in a socially supportive and chemically free environment. Since its inception, the Recovery House has served thousands of individuals struggling with substance related disorders.
The Van Ness Recovery House will be hosting a ‘Carnival’ in Fiesta Hall and the Great Lawn at Plummer Park to highlight the Van Ness Recovery House’s 50 years of work and service to the community and to promote recovery resources.
The City of West Hollywood has made it a priority to address recovery services by providing funding for programming at a variety of agencies and by educating the public via community forums, innovative prevention campaigns and a substance abuse services guide. The City contracted with the Van Ness Recovery House from 1992 to 2008 for a variety of different recovery services. Hundreds of West Hollywood community members have received services from the agency and continue to access its programs. The Recovery House has hosted similar events at Fiesta Hall in the past, including a screening of the musical Hairspray, which was a well-attended and successful event. Support of this event is consistent with the City’s current policies and initiatives.
To learn more about the the Van Ness Recovery House, visit: https://secure.givelively.org/event/van-ness-recovery-house/van-ness-recovery-house-gala-brunch-50-years-of-keeping-a-roof-over-recovery
