Buckelew: In Brief - September 2023

The celebration was a testament to the incredible collaborative effort that made the reopening possible, with attendees including the Gallaher family, local developers and the angel donors of the project, as well as corporate funders, new and former Buckelew staff, Athena House alumnae and their children, and U.S. Representative Mike Thompson. As many of you know, the reopening is quite a feat!  In July 2022, the facility closed when its previous operator put the property up for sale. Knowing what a vital program Athena House is for Sonoma County residents, Buckelew quickly stepped up to manage the facility with the Gallahers generously funding the relocation and remodeling of Athena House. 

The program offers comprehensive services to up to 14 women – including two women in the program with children – at any given time. Clients undergo an intensive engagement from 60 to 90 days. After their time at Athena House, women can transition to Hope Village, a supportive sober living environment, ensuring a holistic and continued journey toward recovery. 

Staff such as Program Director Sylvie De La Cruz, are among the many reasons Athena House is truly special. As an alumna, she has first-hand experience of these women’s needs and empathy for their difficult journey. The effectiveness of the program can be attributed to the continuum of care it offers–from counseling and education about alcohol and drug addiction, trauma work, and tools to relapse prevention to one-on-one case management, exit planning and collaboration with multiple agencies to sober living and its robust alumnae and on-campus network. We’re thrilled to be able to continue serving Sonoma County residents with this critical – and now beautifully remodeled – facility.  

September is also a busy time because we reach out for financial support to continue providing vital services and growing our programs. Economic stressors, access to services and the impact of the pandemic are just a few of the factors contributing to the increased need for mental health and substance use treatment facilities in our community. For so many, we are the last resort for life-changing care.  

But we can’t do this work without you. 

Your financial support will help raise $100,000 to meet the increasing need for suicide prevention outreach, recovery treatment and sober living residence programs in the North Bay. 

Our generous partner, the Lindskog Foundation, will double all gifts received by October 15^th! 

With your support, our Suicide Prevention Programs, Recovery Treatment Programs, and Sober Living Residences provide hope for so many in our community.  

Buckelew’s Suicide Prevention Program operates one of California’s 12 call centers that are part of the national 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Last year, Buckelew responded to more than 15,000 calls from Marin, Sonoma, Lake, and Mendocino counties. The life-saving resource is free and available 24/7 to anyone experiencing any level of distress or their loved ones. The program also provides suicide education to schools and community organizations and peer-to-peer support for anyone who’s lost a loved one to suicide.  

For those not wanting to get inked, there are plenty of local businesses, artists, food and organizations to check out. It's a true community event, we hope you'll join us!  Please go to our Facebook fundraiser if you can’t make it and would like to donate. More Tattoo for Buckelew info, including the tattoo artist lineup, is on their website. 

Event Details 

What: Tattoo for Buckelew 
Where: Petaluma Tattoo, 406 Petaluma Blvd South, Petaluma, CA 
When: Friday, September 15, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. 

Thank you for your interest in our work. We welcome all suggestions to help us improve our communications to you. Please contact Pat Gallagher, Chief Philanthropy Officer at PatG@Buckelew.org or 415.491.5748.

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