Proceeds From Liberation Programs 2015 SPIRIT OF HOPE Support life long recovery efforts

“We are here tonight to think with our hearts – not our heads.” With these words, Liberation Programs President and CEO Alan Mathis addressed a crowd of over 270 people, many visibly touched after viewing a video and hearing the keynote speaker who is 15 years in recovery after completing treatment at Liberation Programs. This year marked the Spirit of Hope Benefit’s eighth year of raising funds to help bring solutions to the problem of addiction.

Liberation Programs former Board Chair Debra W. Hertz, PhD was honored for her many years of leadership and guidance of the organization and GE Capital for their continued investment in Liberation’s programs through financial support and volunteer engagement to help deliver the best services possible.

The event, which raised more than $125,000, was chaired by Sallyan Pelletier with Vice Chair Christy Sadler, both Liberation Programs Board members. Sallyan Pelletier and Liberation’s Advisory Board Chair John McCarty emceed the event which was kicked off with remarks by Governor Dannel Malloy.

A graduate from Liberation Programs residential treatment center for pregnant and parenting mothers, keynote speaker Michelle Howard received a standing ovation after sharing her story detailing her journey from becoming addicted to heroin at an early age to being near death before coming to the Families in Recovery Program at Liberation. “Liberation Programs literally saved my life.”

Major sponsors for Spirit of Hope included GE Capital; Elizabeth Needham and Peter Mark; Sallyan and Stephen Pelletier; Sally and John Bassler; Judy and Charlie Eaton; Donna and Dennis Monson; the Mitchell Family; Cohen & Wolf, P.C.; Debra and John Hertz; Liberation Programs’ Senior Team; Eleanor and Mort Lowenthal; Alice P. Melly; Pitney Bowes, Inc.; RDM Financial Group; Ring’s End; Meredith and Christy Sadler; Starlight Construction; TEKConn; the Bischoff and Rabenhorst Families; Cacace, Tusch & Santagata; CPB Benefit Consultants; Susan. S. DiMattia; Suzanne Grey; Ella and Jeff Long; Melisa and Alan Mathis; Judi and John McCarty; People’s United Bank and People’s United Insurance Agency; Stamford Hospital Foundation; Dr. Michael and Brook Urban and media sponsor Greenwich Magazine/Moffly Media

For Additional Photos Click Here: Spirit of Hope 2015 Photos

About Liberation Programs  Liberation Programs, Inc. (LPI) is a non-profit, community-based organization dedicated to providing substance abuse prevention and treatment programs in Fairfield County. Its mission is to empower people and their families to be free of the disease of addiction by providing targeted solutions that restore lives and strengthen the community.   For more information, visit www.liberationprograms.org.

The agency’s signature event, Spirit of Hope, is held each year to provide important resources such as housing, mental health services, effective treatment alternatives and other support services that enable individuals and families to begin new lives and sustain lifelong recovery. Proceeds from Spirit of Hope events helped create Gini’s House, a project completed last year that provides 18 units of permanent housing for moms with children and renovate a state-of-the-art space for Liberation’s long-term residential program for mothers with young children.

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Submitted by Norwalk, CT

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