We are thrilled to give updates on our newly opened Recovery Community Center. Over the last few years, Passenger has extended our mission from assisting touring musicians in recovery, to using music and the arts as tools for recovery in our local community. At the beginning of this year, we opened a Recovery Community Center thanks to support from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
In the last two months, Passenger has had over 450 people walk through the door for support groups; Successfully connected two people with treatment and aftercare; Assisted over twenty people with connection to health insurance, food stamps and transportation; This is all while also offering eight support groups a week, multiple arts/music recovery advocacy events, narcan distribution at local festivals, and assistance to touring musicians in recovery.
Passenger was featured on WDET Detroit and in the Hamtramck Review in May. We also met with State Rep Abraham Aiyash to discuss the importance of Recovery Community Organizations in underserved areas.
In June, Bryan presented at the National Recovery Summit in Denver, discussing Passenger’s history and music as a tool for recovery. It was an honor as a new Recovery Community Center to be able to share our story and experience on a national level! Meanwhile, Chris and Holly (and Angus) distributed Narcan and community resources at the TecTroit and Movement Festivals in Detroit.
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Celebrating Mental Health Awareness Month and heading into Pride 2024, we’re excited to share this conversation between two people very close to our hearts. Todd Walker is the head of Outermost Agency, and shares his experience strength and hope in recovery with LGBTQ recovery advocate and Tour Production+ badass Joanne Croxford, as part of Passenger’s If You Can See It, You Can Be It series. This series is focused on sharing stories of recovery in the music industry both with young people and artists as a whole. A huge thank you to these two incredible people for showing that people thrive and prosper in recovery!
Our larger upcoming events include Sober Social Karaoke w/ The Phoenix, Humans of Hip Hop Co-Creation with MusiCares, Ukrainian/Bandura Presentation. While support from the Michigan Department of Health and Humans Services has helped us get started on the right foot, we are always looking for support to continue helping everyone who walks through our doors. If you are interested in contributing to our programming, please consider a donation here. Thank you as always!
Pictured below: Chris with the FAN folks at the MI-Peer Conference; Narcan distribution at TV Lounge; Jimmy Doom holding a creative writing session at Passenger; Yoga with The Phoenix (every wednesday!), Holly & Clara at the Hamtramck Drug Free Community Coalition 5K, Jean & Bryan at the Community Mental Health Fair.
