Category: Manor

“I can find joy in life again.”

Posted on

In celebration of our 50th anniversary, each month we will be sharing a story that highlights one of our programs or treatment populations. Below is Kenneth’s story, who found creating art helped keep him focused on his recovery.

Kenneth eldercare profileArt has been a part of Kenneth’s life for more than 40 years. Growing up, the comfort of creation helped distract Kenneth, 55, from the stresses of growing up in the projects with a single mom raising him and his siblings. As Kenneth reached his teenage years, art gave way to drugs and alcohol as a means of escape. For the next twenty-five years, Kenneth struggled with his addiction to cocaine and alcohol and found himself in and out of treatment programs.

A few years ago, Kenneth became homeless after he lost his job, and he had no money to pay his rent. Feeling hopeless about his future, Kenneth isolated himself. He relapsed, and knowing he needed to make a change, he entered residential treatment at Odyssey House.

In treatment, Kenneth found sanctuary by participating in workshops at the Odyssey House expressive arts studio. Kenneth says creating art allows him to express himself in ways he cannot verbally, and supports his recovery in a safe and sober environment. “The Odyssey House Art Project helped me find myself. I can find joy in life again.” This July, Kenneth celebrated one year of sobriety, giving him a more hopeful outlook on his life: “Now that I’ve reached this milestone, it’s going to be a brighter future for me.”

For more than a decade, our expressive arts studio has been a therapeutic oasis for clients of our residential treatment and housing programs, enabling them to find new ways to exercise their creativity and communicate their feelings. Art helps clients to open up, which also opens doors to improved treatment and healing.

Renowned Mexican choir brings song & dance to the Manor

Posted on

Last month, Odyssey House hosted a performance by the Mexican student choir Estudiantina La Salle with special guest, renowned tenor Mauricio Trejo, at our Manor Family Center. The performers, 15 men and two women dressed in traditional costumes, played a mixture Mexican folk songs, pop tunes, and love songs. 

The performers were just as moved by the experience as the clients were. Mr. Trejo, right, an alumnus of the Estudiantina La Salle choir, said, “My soul was happy, my heart uplifted, and the image that will remain is all the people at the house becoming one.” 
Estudiantina La Salle is acclaimed for their exciting performances in Mexico, the United States, Japan, and Europe. In celebration of the choir’s 50th anniversary and Mexican Independence Day, they traveled to the United States to perform in New York City and Philadelphia. 
The clients and staff in attendance participated enthusiastically, singing and clapping at their seats, and dancing with the performers. 

The concert was arranged by Pro Musicis, an organization that brings musicians from around the world to perform in prisons, hospitals, centers for the disabled, substance abuse treatment facilities, assisted living units, and homeless shelters—for audiences who seldom, if ever, have the chance to hear live classical music.

Graduates prove that treatment works

Posted on
Odyssey House staff, current and former residents, and friends and family members recently gathered at the Manor Family Center to commemorate a significant milestone in our residents’ recovery: graduation.

The ceremony included opening remarks by Odyssey House President Dr. Peter Provet, a keynote speech by NYS Office of Alcoholism & Substance Abuse ServicesCommissioner Arlene Gonzalez-Sanchez, and the presentation of the CASAC of theYear award to recreational services coordinator Andre Matthews.



From left: Odyssey House COO John Tavolacci, Andre Matthews,
Commissioner Arlene Gonzalez-Sanchez, and Dr. Peter Provet

In his address to the graduates, their families, staff, and supporters, Dr. Provet called the event “a night of achievement,” both for the men and women who have overcome addiction and are now pursuing healthy and productive lives, and the continued role of long-term residential treatment in saving the lives of individuals with life-threatening substance abuse problems.

“With national healthcare reform well underway, all forms of substance abuse treatment are under review and discussion … there must always be a place for intensive residential treatment. You here today are living examples of its life-saving value.” (To read the full text of Dr. Provet’s remarks, click here.)

Commissioner Gonzalez-Sanchez recognized Odyssey House as an “innovative national leader” in the treatment field. “Odyssey House is always in the forefront of developing new systems of care for the betterment of the people we serve.” Commissioner Gonzalez-Sanchez also congratulated the graduates, saying, “Your recovery is a tribute to your strength and it is a tribute to programs like Odyssey House.”

Commissioner Gonzalez-Sanchez also presented the CASAC of the Year award to Andre Matthews, thanking him for his service and dedication to New Yorkers with substance use and mental health problems. Click here to see the video.

Breaking the cycle of violence

Posted on

Last month, in recognition of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Odyssey House collaborated with the Center for Anti-Violence Education (CAE) to provide a series of workshops for more than 100 clients and staff. The workshops, held at the Manor and MABON, covered topics such as safety and prevention strategies, de-escalation of violence, conflict resolution exercises, group discussion, and self-awareness/self-care and healing exercises.

Providing education around alternatives to violence is essential in treatment programs as many clients have complex histories of trauma and abuse, and previously have had little opportunity to address them. Bringing CAE to Odyssey House presented an opportunity to do something fresh and new while providing essential information to help increase safety and control over certain behaviors.

The feedback from the participating clients was overwhelmingly positive and showed that the information resonated with them. Some specific comments include: “I will try to use words instead of fighting,” “I feel that I learned skills for a lifetime,” “I’ll be more aware of the role my reactions can have with regard to disputes or conflict,” and “It made me realize that fighting doesn’t resolve anything.”

Founded in 1974, CAE is a Brooklyn-based organization that develops and implements violence prevention programs for children, teens, women, LGBTQI individuals, people living with HIV/AIDS, people in recovery, survivors of domestic violence, and other at-risk communities.

Manor Family Center gets a new playground

Posted on

Last Saturday, more than 250 volunteers from KaBOOM! , Kraft Foods and New York Academy of Medicine, in addition to volunteers from local universities and community organizations, joined Odyssey House staff and clients to build a new playground at the Manor Family Center.

New York’s First Lady Michelle Paige Paterson kicked off the build with some inspiring words about the importance of play. Watch this short video to see what she had to say and to get a glimpse of what the day was like.
Here’s a preview of photos of the day’s activities. More will be posted on our Flickr page soon.
NY First Lady Michelle Paterson & Odyssey House President Dr. Peter Provet.

Mixing cement for installation.

Installing one of the slides.

Painting the mural.

Thank you to our volunteers for your hard work!

Monkey bars and spiral slides: a new playground for the Manor

Posted on

The kids at the Odyssey House Manor will soon be getting a state-of-the-art playground to call their own. Partnering with Kraft Foods Foundation and the New York Academy of Medicine, KaBOOM! has selected Odyssey House as one of their community partners once again.

To get the project started, we held a Design Day on August 19, where the kids had the opportunity to draw their dream playground. Elements from their drawings will be incorporated into the design of the playground. Check out the video and slideshow below to see some of the kids’ ideas.

On Saturday, October 9th, volunteers from Odyssey House, Kraft Foods, New York Academy of Medicine and the community will build the playground in one day. If you’re interested in volunteering, please send an email to info@odysseyhouseinc.org.