Rufus Wainwright to perform at The Recovery Rally in NYC Sept. 27

Thousands of individuals and families in recovery, treatment partners and advocates from all fifty states will join together to form a human chain – a living symbol of recovery -- across the historic Brooklyn Bridge and proceed to a rally at City Hall Park in Lower Manhattan featuring a special solo musical performance by singer/songwriter Rufus Wainwright on the morning of Saturday, September 27. The Recovery Rally -- organized in partnership with the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. (NCADD) – marks the launch of The Recovery Project, a wide-ranging, multi-year initiative of A&E Network, federal agencies and leading non-profit organizations designed to help raise awareness that addiction is a treatable disease and recovery is possible.

Recovery Rally participants arriving by bus, train and subway, as well as special ferries from Liberty State Park in New Jersey, will gather beginning at 7:00am at Cadman Plaza in Brooklyn. There they will enjoy pre-walk entertainment presented by Road Recovery’s house band - Crazy James, a New York based rock band comprised of sober youth, warm-up activities led by a personal trainer and create signs indicating how long they have been in recovery.

Thousands of people are expected to participate in the walk across the Brooklyn Bridge which will be led by 51 Recovery Delegates representing all fifty states and the District of Columbia. The Delegates, selected from a pool of hundreds of applicants, are local role models chosen to participate because they have been in recovery for more than ten years and are working to help others in their local communities address their addiction. The walk will end at City Hall Park, where a public rally will feature dignitaries from leading non-profit organizations, politicians, celebrities and a special solo musical performance by Rufus Wainwright.

Mark Lundholm, a renowned comedian and motivational speaker who shares his own journey through addiction, homelessness and recovery, will serve as the master of ceremonies for the rally.

More than 22 million Americans* struggle with addiction to alcohol and other drugs, yet fewer than ten percent receive the treatment they need because of stigma, lack of awareness or cost. The Recovery Project – inspired by the incredible response from viewers, individuals and families in recovery to the Emmy nominated documentary series Intervention -- strives to shed light on the scope of the addiction crisis and its impact on society.

A&E has partnered with several leading federal agencies and non-profit organizations to develop The Recovery Project, including the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA); NCADD; Faces & Voices of Recovery and the Partnership for a Drug-Free America (PDFA).

During National Recovery Month in September, AETN channels – including A&E Network, History, Bio Channel, and the Crime & Investigation Network – will air a series of public service advertisements, highlighting the importance of treatment and the hope for recovery. Benjamin Bratt, Whoopi Goldberg, Russell Simmons and Christopher Lawford are among the celebrities featured in the campaign.

A dedicated web site, http://www.therecoveryproject.com/, will list ways for viewers to get involved and provide links to charitable organizations they may wish to donate time or resources to.

On the grassroots level, The Recovery Project will work with local organizations to help them create their own awareness events. A&E will continue to co-host, along with the PDFA, and leading MSOs such as Time Warner Cable, Cox and Comcast, Intervention Town Hall meetings in cities across the country.

*Source: Overview of Findings from the 2006 National Survey on Drug Use and Health

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