Newsletter Archive
Rally Behind Our 2026 Spartan Team We need your help to make this year’s Spartan Race fundraiser a success! Our
The Countdown Is On: Join Team Van Ness at the Spartan Race! September is quickly approaching, and there’s still time
Pride, Community, and Belonging Throughout the month of June, we have celebrated and honored the resilience, diversity, and strength of
It’s Our 53rd Birthday! This year, Van Ness Recovery House proudly celebrates 53 years of serving the LGBTQIA+ recovery community.
A Fresh Chapter for Our Dining Room We’re excited to share that our dining room renovation is officially complete. Over
Join Us for a Joyful Afternoon of Celebration, Community & Impact Our holiday celebration is almost here! In just a
VNRH honors World AIDS Day 2025 by remembering the lives lost to HIV/AIDS and reaffirming its decades-long commitment to those living with the virus. From the earliest days of the epidemic, VNRH stood alone as the first recovery home in Los Angeles to welcome people with HIV/AIDS, demonstrating unwavering compassion through immense loss and community need. This year, VNRH is honored to be named a beneficiary of AHF’s World AIDS Day efforts in Los Angeles County. Supporters are invited to make a matched donation—dollar for dollar up to $20,000—helping fund housing, counseling, and lifesaving support for LGBTQIA+ individuals in recovery.
VNRH invites supporters to Sleigh All Day, a festive holiday fundraiser on December 7 celebrating community, connection, and the life-changing work of the House. The event honors Tim Sullivan with the Legacy Award and Jose Ramos as Outstanding Community Partner. Supporters who cannot attend are encouraged to give online, with every donation matched dollar-for-dollar up to $20,000 through AHF’s World AIDS Month match. The message highlights the opportunity to double the impact of each gift and help advance the Capital Campaign, strengthening VNRH’s mission of hope, healing, and recovery during the holiday season.
VNRH celebrates an extraordinary achievement as the Alumni and Friends Spartan Team surpasses their fundraising goal, raising an unprecedented $55,000 through 75 days of training, unity, and service. On September 20, the team completed the Spartan Race at Angel Stadium, demonstrating powerful resilience and representing the strength of the recovery community. The update also highlights major renovation progress: the kitchen is nearing completion, and thanks to Spartan fundraising efforts, work will soon begin on the final restroom remodel. With each project, the House becomes a more welcoming, dignified space for healing. Throughout, VNRH honors community support, collective effort, and the spirit of recovery.
September honors National Recovery Month, highlighting the role of service in sustaining long-term sobriety and strengthening the recovery community. VNRH reflects on how mentorship, fellowship, and daily acts of kindness deepen both personal healing and collective resilience. The Story of Inspiration spotlights RJ, who first arrived at the House in 1986 and has maintained nearly four decades of sobriety through surrender, spiritual connection, and a lifelong commitment to service—including leadership on the Board of Directors and participation in the Spartan Race. The update also shares the team’s final preparations for the September 20 race, inviting supporters to contribute and help fuel VNRH’s mission.
August highlights National Wellness Month, reminding the VNRH community that recovery thrives when mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual wellness are nurtured through daily intentional practices. Alumni and friends prepare once again for the September 20 Spartan Race, training weekly and already raising $25,000 to support the Capital Campaign—building on the success of their last race, which funded the ADA restroom renovation. The Stories of Inspiration feature Craig, who arrived at VNRH at 36, surrendered to the program, rebuilt his life, passed the California Bar, and now serves on the Board. Throughout, VNRH emphasizes wellness, community strength, and the transformative power of recovery.
VNRH shares major progress on the kitchen renovation made possible by a $350,000 grant from The Chuck Lorre Family Foundation. Walls are down, utilities are updated, drywall is going up, and the laundry area has successfully moved upstairs—bringing the project closer to its Labor Day completion. Supporters are invited to help fund the next major milestone: the dining room renovation, a central space for nourishment, connection, and healing. The update also celebrates the continued momentum of the Spartan Race, as alumni prepare to take on the challenge again on September 20, raising funds and demonstrating the powerful unity found in recovery.
