Pillars, a community center dedicated to serving those struggling with addiction or seeking help in recovery, as well as their loved ones, is honoring the Drug Crisis in Our Backyard co-founder, Susan Salomone, at their Serenade to Sobriety event in Manhattan’s Symphony Space.
The jazz benefit concert will feature headlining saxophonist, Najee, comedian Michael Colyar, and musical performances from Sherrod Barnes and Peter Collins.
Salomone is being honored for her commitment to raising awareness about the opioid crisis and decreasing stigma for those experiencing its consequences in their own lives through the organization, Drug Crisis in Our Backyard, of which her and her husband, Steve, serve as executive directors. The non-profit—which they started in 2012, along with another set of parents, after losing their son, Justin, to an opioid addiction—provides community informational sessions for families struggling with addiction.
“The families think that when [their loved ones] go to rehab and get out they’re going to be better,” she told Guideposts.org 2018. “That’s what I thought. It’s the furthest thing from the truth. When they get out, if they make it through rehab, that’s just the beginning of the journey.”
The star-studded Serenade to Sobriety event honoring those supporting people in recovery and in active addiction will take place on Saturday, Sep. 21. Tickets are available here.
