Bush lends support to alcoholic women

THE MAGDALEN HOUSE

By Nina Herndon

The Magdalen House is honored to host former First Lady of the United States Mrs. Laura Bush at the 2019 Leave a Legacy Dinner, presented by Ben E. Keith Company Foundation. The dinner, held on October 3 at The Hall on Dragon in the Dallas Design District, will celebrate life, recovery and freedom from alcoholism for both women and their families in North Texas.

Bush is an advocate for women’s rights and a leading voice for promoting human rights across the globe. She has dedicated herself to advancing education and promoting the well-being of women and families worldwide. Today, Bush serves as the Chair for the Bush Institute’s Women’s Initiative, guiding the Institute’s programs to advance economic opportunity, good health and human freedom for women and girls around the world.

“Alcoholism is a silent, unmet need creating ongoing struggles for thousands of women right here in Dallas,” said Lisa Kroencke, executive director of The Magdalen House. “Having Mrs. Laura Bush at our 2019 Leave a Legacy Dinner is an honor; her transparency and willingness to be open and vulnerable, sharing her struggles, aligns exactly with our mission for the women who seek our help. Together, we can help save the lives of thousands of women and their families, right here in the Dallas/Fort Worth community.”

Bush is the author of the bestselling memoir “Spoken from the Heart” and bestselling children’s book “Our Great Big Backyard.” She serves on many boards, including the National Advisory Board for the Salvation Army, the Council for the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, the Board of Trustees for the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the SMU Board of Trustees.

“We believe that helping others builds a bridge of service and support, and we invite the entire Dallas community to join us in giving hope to all who suffer,” said Kathi Shuford, event chair and supporter.

The Leave a Legacy Dinner is an annual fundraiser, which allows The Magdalen House to provide no-cost, peer-implemented programming that gives alcoholic women the opportunity to obtain long-term sobriety and a renewed quality of life, at any stage of her recovery. For more than 20 years, the organization hosted an annual golf tournament to encourage philanthropy. 

By evolving the annual fundraiser to the Leave a Legacy Dinner — an evening consisting of inspiration, women’s empowerment and agency awareness — The Magdalen House now also strives to reduce the stigma of alcoholism by educating the Dallas community on a solution to permanent recovery. Previous speakers include Elizabeth Vargas, award-winning news anchor and correspondent, and Sarah Hepola, author of The New York Times bestseller “Blackout.” 

Tables and sponsorships are now available at magdalenhouse.org/2019-leave-a-legacy/ or by calling 214-764-0793.

About The Magdalen House

 The Magdalen House, located in East Dallas, provides no-cost, peer-implemented programming to ensure that alcoholic women have the opportunity to obtain long-term sobriety and quality recovery. 

Founded in 1987, The Magdalen House is the first and continues to be the only one of its kind in the area to offer a free, two-week, in-house social detox service and comprehensive programming, providing a continuum of care available to all alcoholic women at in any stage of her recovery. 

Through their social detox, peer recovery and community outreach programs, the agency continues to play a vital role in changing the lives of thousands of alcoholic women and their families. 

The Magdalen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and is wholly privately funded — accepting no government monies — with a mission to help women achieve sobriety and sustain recovery from alcoholism at no cost and based on 12-Step spiritual principles.

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