This has been a groundbreaking year for SAFE. Through a series of remarkable events and initiatives the agency has embarked on a campaign to change the way we think about addiction and substance abuse. We are shining a light on this important issue that’s touching all corners of our community by raising public awareness with a new look, important volunteer initiatives, innovative events, and expanding our critical therapy services and educational programming.
The goal for this next generation of SAFE’s work is to destigmatize addiction, so those who need help receive the support and acceptance necessary to achieve a life full of health, family, and success. We need to change the message because receiving help for substance abuse can no longer be a story of shame; rather, it’s a story of strength, resilience, and of family caring for each other. Whether you—or a loved one—are experiencing addiction, or you simply want to educate yourself on this pressing topic, SAFE has the information you need. By being the leaders in challenging this stigma, we are securing the present and future wellbeing of our community. Addiction is a problem that can affect anyone regardless of who they are. So, let’s talk about it!
Under the leadership of Board President Charlie Tebele, and Founder and CEO Ike Dweck, SAFE is strengthening our community engagement work and growing its operations from the ground up. Even though we are already a leader in the field of substance abuse and addiction and have some of the highest success rates in New York, we don’t stop there. We are committed to constant innovation of our successful treatment model through strategic hiring and expansion, and staying ahead of trends in the field. This means that our treatment team is staffed with experts who are proactive in responding to new issues in addiction, and our services are at the cutting edge of treatment. Along with a new look and logo, SAFE’s internal operations are expanding to comprehensively meet our community’s growing needs. In addition to our highly qualified team of doctors, therapists, and staff, we have hired new directors and created positions to update the Project SAFE school program and drive our community engagement work with tremendous success. As a result of the board’s dedication and vision, we now also have volunteers bringing awareness of the SAFE approach to all parts of the community. Thanks to these efforts more community members are getting the help they need than ever before! Together the SAFE board and staff, along with volunteers of all ages (singles, marrieds, and parents alike), are taking part in the process of shaping a safe future for those they love and the generations to come.
Bringing Light & Hope To A Sensitive Subject.
Recently, two key events were hosted by SAFE where several brave individuals broke the isolation and shame inherent in addiction and took the stage to share their stories and their journeys to recovery. By breaking their silence, they were able to connect the dots for us on how addiction can slip into one’s life without one’s knowledge. Their stories were a powerful example of both heartache and hope, yet in the telling of them they created a legacy of change
At the annual summer fundraiser, graciously held last year at the home of Ricci and James Haddad (board member), and honoring former Board President Isaac Chera, we heard the powerful story of a young woman who battled with a drug and alcohol dependency, despite having a supportive family and good friends. The audience was riveted as this young woman spoke about the insecurities that lead her to use, bringing forth the humanity that lives behind the hard wall of addiction.
The next event was our first ever SAFE TALK. The event, I’m Fine: Why We Say We Are When We Aren’t, was spearheaded by our next generation volunteer committee and hosted by Ruthie and Jeffrey Terzi in memory of Ronnie Terzi A”H. In what turned out to be a groundbreaking night, over 200 young adults single and newly married, came to mingle, enjoy a delicious dinner, and hear inspirational stories from their peers. The crowd heard from two young men and one young woman, who had found recovery from drugs and, for one, from gambling. Their talks were followed by an informative lecture with a psychologist who specializes in working with addicts and their families. The evening closed with a Q & A session, so audience members could ask Charlie Tebele, Ike Dweck, and the speakers a host of questions. This event was made successful in no small part due to the help and promotion of the members of our next generation volunteer committee: Jaclyn and Richard Adjmi, Margo Adjmi, Isaac Ashkenazi, Frances Cohen, Morris Franco, Ginette Gammal, Arlette Kassin, SAFE Board Member Joseph J. Sutton, Joseph A. Sutton, and of course, the hosts Ruthie and Jeffrey Terzi.
This event was so successful that by early Fall two more SAFE TALKS were under way. Inspired by the poignant sharing, the influx of people wanting to volunteer and get involved with promoting our mission skyrocketed. Planning committees came together, and more people were contacting SAFE to ask questions about helping a friend or loved one.
Missing The Signs: When A Loved One Is Struggling was held at the home of Ginette and Isaac Gammal, where daughters, sons and siblings shared their stories. Some had lost their loved ones while others told stories of living with family members who were lost and disconnected. This was followed by a compelling clinical recap by Laura Mizrahi, primary therapist at SAFE, who tied together these experiences with an understanding of our holistic treatment approach.
The Ripple Effect: The True Impact of Addiction, another powerful evening, held in the home of Lorayne and Gabriel Shehebar, drew a standing room only crowd. Put together by the parents volunteer committee chaired by SAFE Board Member Joseph Cabasso, with the volunteer efforts of Serene Azar, Marilyn Cabasso, Nicole Dweck, Simone Dweck, Sheila Gindi, Lorayne Shehebar, Zudy Shehebar, Beatrice Sutton, and Elana Wahba, the event was geared towards people in their 30s and 40s. Here, a wife told her story of how her spouse’s addiction took her down a long, dark road of loneliness and confusion. A young man, now married and in recovery, shared his gratitude for the gift of reclaiming his self-esteem and his life. The night dedicated to David Dushey A”H, was a poignant reminder of the hurts and loss that can come along with watching the deadly progression through addiction of someone you love.
Defining The Future
Today, the accessibility of drugs and alcohol, and addictive behaviors, are reaching epidemic proportions. Thanks to the Internet, the legalization of marijuana and the trend of juuling, our youth are experimenting at a much younger age. Today the whole family system must be educated and fortunately we specialize in working with the family as a whole. Cynthia Kassin has been hired as the new Director of Community Education to collaborate with community schools and to further develop the Project SAFE school curriculum. This already popular curriculum is building skills in our children so they will know how to take care of themselves when faced with everyday challenges. Every week, students are not only learning about the dangers of addiction and addictive behaviors, but they are also being taught life skills such as confidence building, how not to succumb to peer pressure, and what to do about bullying. They now have a forum within their schools to openly discuss these and other important topics. They are asking valuable questions and participating in healthy dialogues about the struggles they face together as teens.
In terms of family education, we are not stopping there. SAFE volunteer Corie Adjmi is leading her own committee working to bring parenting workshops and specialists in the field of child psychology to teach the most up-to-date information on raising healthy, well-adjusted children. Just this past April, this committee presented a Conscious Parenting Workshop, hosted by Joyce Ashkenazi and facilitated by Dr. Tamar Perlman, where mothers learned new ways to communicate with their children to empower them from within. Another informative night happened last November when Michelle and Jack Haddad hosted Born to Be Wild, where parents heard author, professor and child and adolescent psychiatrist Dr. Jess Shatkin speak about why teenagers take risks.
What’s Next?
Looking ahead, SAFE has plenty more in store for the community. All of our beautiful events to date have been planned through the generosity of Norma Cohen of Norma Cohen Productions—an amazing and inspiring friend and partner to us, whose gorgeous designs have made these events truly unique and safe spaces to share these journeys. Keep an eye out for more of these groundbreaking events, programs and peer advocacy trainings, or reach out to host a program in your home!
This summer SAFE will be sponsoring its annual FARM event, led by Isaac Ashkenazi, which is a night of art, creativity, and good quality fun. Community members up to 30 will be showing their art, shopping at community vendors, and performing poetry, comedy, music and more. SAFE trained mentors, led by Lorayne Shehebar and Marilyn Cabasso, will be visiting community schools to listen to, coach, and support the girls in small classroom settings. Serene and David Azar will be hosting an evening of Empowered Parenting at their home on June 4th.
While we have a new logo, which was created with the guidance of our board member, Marlene Mamiye, it’s not our only new look! Our lobby will also be undergoing renovations, thanks to Joyce Silverman of Joyce D. Silverman Interiors. In collaboration with board member, Michelle Haddad, and volunteer, Mikki Terzi, Joyce has volunteered her time and efforts to redesign our lobby to be an even warmer, welcoming place for those who come through our doors. There are peer advocacy training groups in the works, as well, and we are always looking for volunteers to host these important small group workshops where we send one of our staff to answer your questions.
Stay tuned for more parenting workshops and classes geared towards improving relationships, understanding parenting techniques, and individual wellness. Everything from prevention to intervention to education is being planned.
Most importantly, we want to hear from you! We are inviting all community members to get involved by either joining a committee, sending requests for event topics, reaching out to ask questions or offering suggestions, hosting a training event, or workshop in your home, and more. Lastly, but most importantly, SAFE is here to protect the confidentiality and anonymity of everyone who reaches out for help. Our main mission is to save lives and restore families, because we’re not just about treatment, we’re about hope. All calls and visits are confidential and SAFE is here to help 24/7. If you, or someone you love, needs help or has questions about treatment please call us at (718) GET-SAFE. For more information on volunteering or events email us at ask@thesafefoundation.org or follow us on Instagram @thesafefoundation.
