Celebrating 75 Years

What an honor it was to celebrate Hazelden Betty Ford's 75th anniversary with so many supporters, alumni and friends in 2024! From Minnesota to Florida, New York to California and Oregon, people came together in fellowship and community to mark this special milestone for this organization. 

We kicked off the celebrations with Hazelden Betty Ford's first-ever Giving Day on May 1—marking the day in 1949 when Hazelden admitted its first patient. How powerful to see the impact we had together, raising $25,800 in just one day for our lifesaving mission.

In July, more than 150 people participated in the Newberg Ice Cream Social, braving the Oregon heat to enjoy speakers, workshops and, of course, plenty of ice cream. Chicago's Lincoln Park was the setting for the annual Chicago Recovery Picnic in August, where the 200 attendees included two Hazelden Betty Ford supporters who were preparing to run the Chicago Marathon to raise awareness about addiction and the mission of Hazelden Betty Ford. 

In honor of our 75th, we were thrilled to also have several runners participating on our behalf in the New York City Half Marathon. And another 57 people from around the country who participated in our 75-Mile Challenge and created their own fundraising pages for Hazelden Betty Ford. 

A highlight of the year-long festivities was the Still Breaking Through Gala in September. More than 1,100 people filled The Armory in Minneapolis, together with actor Rob Lowe, musician Brandi Carlile and a host of alumni, community, corporate and individual supporters, along with elected officials, for an inspiring evening of hope and recovery. The gala raised more than $2.3 million, successfully kicking off our National Recovery Weekend in Minnesota, during which more than 500 people gathered at our St. Paul and Center City campuses for workshops, tours, fellowship, an alumni panel discussion, medallion ceremony and more. It was an unforgettable weekend filled with inspiration, gratitude, and hope—and a powerful testament to the impact that Hazelden Betty Ford has had on countless lives. 

In November, the Betty Ford Center's Annual Reunion Weekend attracted more than 200 people to Rancho Mirage, California. And the celebrations wrapped up with the first-ever Alumni Weekend in Naples, Florida, where more than 100 people came back to campus to reconnect with staff and each other. 

Another highlight of the fall celebrations was our Vice President of Public and Community Relations and New York Times bestselling author, William Cope Moyers' launch of his new book, Broken Open: What Painkillers Taught Me about Life and Recovery. The book tour began right after Labor Day in St. Paul. From there, he crossed paths with fellow travelers in Anchorage, Portland, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Minneapolis, Atlanta, New York, Denver, Bismarck, Milwaukee, Palm Springs, Bellevue, Denver and southwest Florida. 

These events, along with newly revamped Homecoming Weekends and Alumni Connect meetings around the country, created a real momentum that will inspire everything we do this year and in the future. We're grateful for the thousands of people who came out to events and to the 4,700 people who made donations to advance our lifesaving work—including 72 donors who signed up to give monthly donations in 2024! Thank you!