October 1, 2008

A&E Spreads Hope for Addicted

Aiming to inform addicts, their families and friends that addiction is a treatable disease, A&E gathers thousands in New York City for a day of hope, inspiration and entertainment.

Addiction is not an easy situation, but it is a disease, and it is treatable.

Getting that message to those who need it is the idea behind A&E's The Recovery Project, a multi-year, multi-platform effort that kicked off September 27 with a rally of more than 5,000 people. The assembled crowd of recovering addicts, family, friends and activists walked across the Brooklyn Bridge and into Manhattan to symbolize unity and hope for recovery. The day ended in Manhattan with a performance by Rufus Wainwright.

In addition to its docu series Intervention, and its addiction-related drama The Cleaner, A&E has been partnering with cable operators on a series of Town Hall meetings to discuss addiction and treatment options.The majority of addicts and their families do not realize that treatment is available.

WETTING THEIR APPETITE FOR RECOVERY: Avoiding the rain and celebrating the start of A&E's The Recovery Project are singer Rufus Wainwright, interventionists from A&E's docuseries "Intervention" and execs. From left: Ken Seeley (“Intervention”), Candy Finnigan (“Intervention”), Warren Boyd (“The Cleaner”), Bob DeBitetto (A&E Pres/ GM), Wainwright, Guy Slattery (A&E SVP) and Jeff Van Vonderen (“Intervention”).