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Nuevo Dia Program celebrates its receipt of a James B. Hunter III Community Hero Award on May 16th.

• Nuevo Dia, a program of Vanguard Services Unlimited, will be honored with the James B. Hunter III Community Hero Award in the “agency” category.

The program is the only residential substance-abuse treatment facility for Spanish-speaking men across Virginia.

“The Nuevo Dia program is an excellent example of a public-private collaboration, in this instance between the Arlington County government and Vanguard,” said Andres Tobar, who made the nomination. “Seventy-nine Arlington men have been treated by Nuevo Dia since the program began. Over 75 percent of these men remain in recovery — an absolutely astounding rate — and are leading healthy, productive lives. Almost all of these have, or are, giving back to Arlington by performing the community-service work mandated by the program.” “The ripple effect of addiction and substance abuse puts incredible stress on family relationships when untreated,” Tobar said. “Most of these familial relationships have been restored. Nuevo Dia has successfully helped its clients not only conquer their addiction, but a myriad of problems.” 

Ana Maria Alfaro, Derick Malis, VSU; Nancie Connolly, Arlington CSB; Andres Tobar, Exc. Dir. SEEC; Debby Taylor, CEO-VSU; Jose Carlos Castrillo, VSU; Chris Zimmerman, County Board; Nohemi Pacheco, VSU-Nuevo Día; Mary Hynes, County board , VSU-Board; Anita and Edd Nolen VSU-board. (Photo by Scott McCaffrey)

Alcohol and drug abuse. Depression. A suicide attempt. Failed stints in rehab. All by the age of 17.
That marked the first half of Brendan King’s 34 years. The second half: Working at a rehabilitation center, joining the Marine Corps and serving an eight-year stint that included service in Iraq, establishing his own consulting firm and being a road-patrol officer and SWAT team member in the Fauquier County Sheriff’s Office. Full article (pdf)

GIFT FROM WESTAT

Employees of Westat, a research organization headquartered in Rockville, Maryland, held a Silent Auction in December 2008 and designated proceeds to go to Vanguard’s Demeter House.   Westat company employees then presented the contributions to Vanguard in January.  Pictured in photo (left to right) are Vanguard staff member Suzanne Didier, Vanguard Board Chair Bruce McLeod, and Elisabeth Cook of Westat.

STUDENTS IN RECOVERY CELEBRATE WORK OF TEACHER

Teacher Keith Miller, second from right, is honored by Dr. Alvin Crawley of Arlington Public Schools, Mary Ann Moran of the Partnership for Children, Youth and Families and George Knoerlein of Vanguard Services Unlimited. (Photo by Scott McCaffrey)

It was the Arlington Partnership for Children, Youth and Families that presented Keith Miller with its Connect With Kids Award recently. But it was his students that provided the emotion.

"You taught me I can do anything I want to do - you probably know me better than I know my own self," said one of the students who are taught by Miller at Vanguard Services Unlimited Boys Recovery Lodge, ...     Click here for full story in Sun Gazette newspaper.  

Council for Nonprofit Advancement EXCEL Award

Vanguard CEO Debby Taylor was recognized on November 18th at the annual meeting of the Council for Nonprofit Advancement with an Honorable Mention award in the Center's annual award competition for area non-profit leaders (for CEOs and Executive Directors of non-profits with budgets under $10 million). The Gelman, Rosenberg and Freedman award was the culmination of a several-month long process, in which nearly 30 nominations were received, and five were selected for final recognition. Debby was nominated by Arlington County Board member Barbara Favola.

Debby Taylor, Vanguard CEO (second from right) with the other honorees recognized by the Center for Nonprofit Advancement for outstanding leadership of Washington , D.C. non-profits.

Debby Taylor, Vanguard CEO (second from right) with the other honorees recognized by the Center for Nonprofit Advancement for outstanding leadership of Washington , D.C. non-profits

June 2008

Boys and Girls Recovery Lodges Honored

On Monday, June 16th at the Virginia Summer Institute for Addiction Studies in Williamsburg, Vanguard's Boys and Girls Recovery Lodges were presented with the Program of Excellence Award by the Virginia Association of Drug and Alcohol Programs (VADAP). This marks the first time a Vanguard program has been honored with this prestigious award, which is given to an outstanding Virginia program each year by the association of peer programs.  Located in Arlington, the Recovery Lodges serve young people ages 14-17 in two separate locations. Recently, the Girls and Boys Recovery Lodges have successfully accessed new Medicaid funding to help Virginia's youth receive the substance abuse treatment they need and enable them to enter recovery before experiencing many of the life problems that could occur if their use had continued. Originally founded in 1990 as Deep Run Lodge, the Recovery Lodges now have an 18-year history of providing high-quality, accessible treatment to boys and girls in recovery. Many of the staff members have held leadership roles in professional organizations in Virginia during that time.

September 24, 2008

Vanguard Phoenix Open Golf Tournament:

Reston National Golf Course

Flyer

Sponsorship

July 2008

Vanguard Featured on Comcast NewsMakers

September 2008

Vanguard Celebrated the Eleventh Annual Celebration of Recovery

Vanguard Recovery Celebration was held on Tuesday, September 23rd at
6 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus Hall. Each program created a  centerpice for the dining room tables and made a presentation incorporating the theme "Recovery for all Ages"