Phoenix House Offers Hope for Addicts in Hamptons Community

Phoenix House Benefit Honoring Haley and Jason Binn
East Hampton, Saturday, June 27, 2009, 6-8 PM

NEW YORK, June 16 /PRNewswire/ -- "Addiction runs its devastating course
through every community - including the Hamptons," says Howard Meitiner,
President and CEO of Phoenix House, one of the nation's largest non-profit
alcohol and drug abuse treatment and prevention programs. "But in all the
discussion of East Hampton and its environs, people rarely see the other side
of the story."

"Ninety percent of the people we treat out here are the working poor - those
who cannot afford to pay for long-term treatment but who earn just too much to
qualify for Medicaid. It is these individuals and families who are stuck in
the middle, and who desperately need our programs. So it is critical that we
reach out to local philanthropists and members of the community who can help
fund these programs, especially given the stark reality of this economic
downturn."

As a key part of this outreach, on June 27th Phoenix House will host a benefit
in East Hampton, a community with surprisingly high statistics of alcohol and
drug abuse, especially among young people. In Suffolk County, nearly 12% of
the population that is 12 years old and older is chemically dependent, and the
addiction rate for adolescents 12-17 is very close to that of adults (10% for
teens vs. 12% for adults). Only 25% of addicted teens in the community are
receiving treatment.

The Phoenix House event will honor Haley and Jason Binn, leaders in public
service and philanthropy in New York City and the Hamptons. Mr. Binn is the
Founder and CEO of Niche Media, publisher of such titles as Gotham, Hamptons,
Los Angeles Confidential, and Ocean Drive.

The benefit will raise money for two key Phoenix House programs serving the
Hamptons community: an outpatient center that offers group, individual, and
family therapy; and the Phoenix Academy of Long Island in Wainscott, which
provides residential treatment to teens along with educational and vocational
services.

"Alcohol and drug abuse is on the rise during this economic crisis, and we
can't afford as a society or as individuals to let people who need help get
lost in the spiral of addiction," says Mr. Meitiner. "We are hoping that
people will recognize the deep need for sustaining treatment programs such as
Phoenix House, and that this is an investment that will pay off in countless
lives and families saved."

Phoenix House founder, Dr. Mitchell S. Rosenthal, and numerous Phoenix House
board members including George Kellner, Rose Marie Bravo and Richard Plepler
will be supporting this event.

Event chairpersons are Linda & Jeffrey Chodorow, Cristina Cuomo, Chris
DeWolfe, Peter Ezersky, Liz Lange, Diane & Alan Lieberman, Tatiana & Campion
Platt, and Lauran & Charlie Walk.

Members of the Benefit Committee include Chris Burch, Rocco DiSpirito, Simon
Doonan & Jonathan Adler, Peter Duchin, Anne Hearst & Jay McInerney, Dylan
Lauren, Allison & Howard Lutnick, Patrick McMullan, Sage & Tony Robbins,
andBrooke Shields & Chris Henchy.

For more information, to speak with Howard Meitiner, or for any media
inquiries about Phoenix House, please call Davia Temin, Suzanne Oaks, or Trang
Mar of Temin and Company at 212-588-8788 or news@teminandco.com. To purchase
tickets or make a contribution, please contact Linda B. Shapiro at
631-329-5480 or lbspro@optonline.net.

About Phoenix House
Phoenix House is one of the nation's leading non-profit substance abuse
prevention and treatment service organizations, serving close to 7,500 men,
women (including women with children), and teens each day at more than 152
drug and alcohol treatment and prevention programs in 10 states - California,
Connecticut, Florida, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode
Island, Texas, and Vermont. For information, visit www.phoenixhouse.org.

SOURCE Phoenix House

Davia Temin, Suzanne Oaks or Trang Mar, all of Temin and Company,
+1-212-588-8788, or news@teminandco.com, for Phoenix House