Jelani House Opens
Treatment Center Opens In The Bayview
SECTION: Vol. 72; No. 36; Pg. 4
LENGTH: 326 words
Treatment Center Opens In The Bayview.
After years of planning and fundraising, Jelani House opened last
Saturday amidst an afternoon of entertainment, well-wishing and blessing of the
building at 1601 Quesada in the Bayview District.
The Jelani House is a recovery center and home for drug-addicted pregnant
women and their children, and was so named after Deputy Mayor Claude Everhart's
young son who was tragically killed in a car accident last year, and which was
originally conceived as the Catholic Charities' Phoenix Project. Jelani means
"strength."
San Francisco Mayor Art Agnos and California Lieutenant Governor Leo
McCarthy agreed with the day's speakers that the Jelani House was long overdue,
especially in view of the urgent need to combat the drug onslaught visited on
cities and towns of America in the last decade.
Many speakers spoke of the young women, and young men, who are victims of
an economy gone sour, unemployment soaring, role models diminishing, and
accessibility of drugs that much easy for young people, especially for people
of color caught in the vicious cycle of frustration, rate and no hope, "but the
community banded together to give hope and provide practical help."
The Phoenix Project of the Christian Charities was thus born, and in
which Sherry Agnos, mayor's wife, Ann Friedman, Elaine Johnson, Ph.D., and
Deputy Mayor Everhart, all co-chairs of the project, worked to make it come
true. But the planning and fundraising involved years of hard work and input
from every religion and background and social status.
The Jelani House was blessed by Most Rev. Carlos A. Sevilla (auxiliary
bishop of San Francisco); Rabbi Robert Kirschner (Congregation Beth-El); Rev.
Cecil Williams (pastor, Glide Memorial Church) and Rev. John J. Sullivan
(pastor, Hallows Church).
Article copyright Reporter Publishing Co.
Drug Treatment Center Opens
SECTION: Pg. 3
LENGTH: 405 words
Drug Treatment Center Opens.
San Francisco -- After years of planning, Catholic Charities' Phoenix
Project opened with a block party last weekend. Located at 1601 Quesada in the
Bayview district of San Francisco, the Phoenix Project (which was renamed
Jelani House at the opening ceremony) is a recovery center and home for
drug-addicted pregnant women and their children.
The day consisted of entertainment provided by several local gospel and
jazz groups, a formal program and blessing of the building, tours of the
facility and refreshments.
Speakers at the formal program were: Master of Ceremonies Rev. Calvin
Jones, Jr.; co-chairs of the Phoenix Project, Sherry Agnos and Ann Friedman;
Elaine Johnson, Ph.D.; and Deputy Mayor Claude Everhart. The Phoenix Project
was renamed Jelani House after Everhart's young son who was tragically killed
in a car accident last year. Jelani means "strength."
The formal program concluded with the blessing of the building given by:
Most Rev. Carlos A. Sevilla (Auxiliary Bishop of San Francisco); Rabbi Robert
Kirschner (Congregation Emanu-El); Rev. Cecil Williams (pastor, Glide Memorial
Church) and Rev. John J. Sullivan (Pastor, All Hallows Church).
The opening of Jelani House culminates years of planning and fundraising
and has involved people from every religious background and social status.
Last Year 375,000 infants in the United States were exposed to drugs --
700 of those were in San Francisco.
Selected as a national demonstration project by the Office for Substance
Abuse Prevention, Jelani House is a full-service recovery facility for
pregnant, drug-addicted mothers and their children. The residential program
accommodates 14 pregnant women and 10 - 12 of their children under age six.
The program focuses on the women's recovery through individual and group
counseling, 12 step meetings, parenting and money management classes,
vocational training and job readiness skills. Child care and child development
classes are also held on-site.
Medical care is provided by California Pacific Medical Center and, for
many of the women, will be the first time they have had adequate prenatal care.
Sponsored by Catholic Charities of San Francisco County, Jelani House is
funded by government grants and private donations.
Article copyright Post Newspapers.
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