Out & About: Tea for Recovery
The Dallas Woman’s Forum at The Alexander Mansion saw an influx of 200 guests as they were introduced to the second annual Tea for Recovery, a social gathering that benefits residents of Dallas 24 Hour Club.
Hosted by co-chair Dr. M. Joan Terry and her daughter, the Rev. Tiffany Wright, Tea for Recovery was put on May 4 by the Dallas 24 Hour Club, which combined a luncheon and testimonial stories from former club residents.
The club was founded in 1969 to provide transitional living, support services, and essential life skills for homeless alcoholics and addicts to experience long-term sobriety. CEO Marsha Williamson said that in 2022, the club helped more than 600 individuals with a 31% success rate.
The Wrights had the idea for Tea for Recovery after a loved went through the Dallas 24 Hour Club program. They knew they wanted to support the organization with their love of tea and the mission of the program.
Program alumna Stephanie Crawford was introduced to the first floor attendees of the mansion during Tea for Recovery to the audience telling her story with the program. She acknowledged the support and impact on her life, as well as the vulnerability that came with being a homeless woman. With the help of Dallas 24 Hour Club, she was able to reunite with her daughter.
Williamson acknowledged that the effects of addiction create for a person’s friends and family as well. One of her favorite parts of the program was seeing residents reconnect with their loved ones and celebrating a healthier lifestyle.
The Dallas 24 Hour Club offers a six-month program meant to help people with recovery, employment, reconnecting with family, and living independently. In their Tillman House program, they also have a yearlong assistance program dedicated to transitioning residents into independent living and offering scholarship opportunities through Texas Tech University or Dallas College’s WorkReadyU program.
Thanks to this year’s culinary team — including chef Jason Martin, chef Shon Johnson-Tripp, chef Eric Drever, and Terry Kranz — attendees were able to enjoy the foods of the luncheon such as tea sandwiches, quiche, and desserts.
On the second floor, development director Adrienne Santaularia shared her thoughts on the success of Dallas 24 Hour Club and introduced Valerie Niebrand to give her testimonial on the experience through the program.
Prior to the event, the female residents were given gift cards to shop for tea attire at Ross.
The event both fundraised and allowed attendees to enjoy the community atmosphere. The money raised from the event, which was underwrote by a friend of the program, will go to Dallas 24 Hour Club’s mission of supporting its residents.
This year’s Tea for Recovery host committee was Libby Albritton, Lauren Adler, Brady Baxter-Thompson, Colbie Brazell Campbell, Tracie Frazier, Dr. Maureen Jamieson-Quilling, and Laura Sahliyeh.
