About Us

The Shadow of Mental Illness Haunts Us All!

So many of us have parents, siblings, or friends living in that Shadow. We recognize the possibility of mental illness in ourselves. Or we deny it.

This is clear: Persons living with mental illness suffer not only from painful and debilitating symptoms but from stigma and discrimination which keep them from making the positive contributions to the community of which they are capable.

This too is clear: Psychiatric treatment alone will not make the difference in people's lives which providers and consumers of mental health services hope for. These lives will change little unless opportunities to assume productive roles in the community are available.

Help Bring Recovery to Light!

The Verrazano Foundation, a New York State not-for-profit corporation, is committed to combating stigma and discrimination against persons living with mental illness by providing opportunities for people in recovery, individually and collectively, to make positive, visible contributions to the community. Current initiatives include an interactive website, a series of community forums called the Recovery Road Show, and the Arts of Recovery. All these initiatives simultaneously create opportunities for people in recovery to interact productively with the broader community while demonstrating the valuable contributions they can make to society.

The Arts of Recovery enables artists living with mental illness to collaborate with professional artists to produce museum-worthy works of art. In 2003, groups of persons in recovery worked with Japanese artists, Kaoru Motomiya and Manika Nagare to create extraordinary projects in ceramics and tapestry. Building on these highly successful workshops and the exhibitions which followed, the Arts of Recovery 2004 provided opportunities for artists in recovery to collaborate with distinguished artists, Louise Fishman, Darrell Wilson, and Barbara Bash. These workshops produced distinctive works which, accompanied by video and photographic documentation of the creative process, are again being exhibited in group shows at Snug Harbor's Newhouse Gallery and at South Beach Psychiatric Center. The Arts of Recovery 2005 will feature artists Sage Reynolds and Javier Tellez leading workshops in print making and video installation. The which rich and varied exhibit which follows will again be accessible to both the recovery community and the general public, increasing awareness of recovery and combating stigma while providing inspiration to many.

The Recovery Road Show brings an inspirational vision of recovery to community and professional groups. Utilizing startling video presentations together with a panel of persons living with mental illness, the Recovery Road Show is a vehicle for bringing message of recovery directly to the public. Currently, the Recovery Road Show is presenting Scripts to Recovery, produced by The Verrazano Foundation and directed by Rachel Simpson. The other productions are currently being planned.

The Verrazano Foundation website is designed to support the growing recovery rights movement by providing opportunities for consumers and providers of mental health services, for advocates and for all those concerned about living with mental illness to share hope and information.

Among the projects in the planning stage are the Career Mentoring Project, the Playwrights-in-Recovery Contest and Festival, and the Recovery Hospice Project.

The Verrazano Foundation also sponsors a successful soda distribution business which provides opportunities for persons living with mental illness to have an initial work experience. Other economic development initiatives are in the planning stage.

How You Can Help Bring Recovery to Light!

Over the coming years, there will be many, many ways in which you will be able to support and participate in the work of The Verrazano Foundation. As these evolve, we will keep you posted in this space.

Right now, we are looking for help with the website. Perhaps you could help us identify talented individuals who would be interested in participating in this project as writers or editors. Perhaps this is something you can do yourself!

Perhaps, you have a story of life with mental illness which you would be willing to share. An important ingredient of each section of the website, the Arts of Recovery, the Spirit of Recovery, the Tools of Recovery, the Business of Recovery, and the Recovery Movements will be first person accounts. By bearing witness to the dilemmas of living with mental illness and to the possibilities of recovery, you can help bring recovery to light.

Or perhaps you can help us identify someone else who has a story to tell. That would be extremely helpful as well.

Your Generous Support Can Make a Difference!

The Verrazano Foundation relies on donations and charitable contributions from individuals and organizations committed to bringing the possibility of recovery to light. Your contribution can make a difference. For instance, a contribution of $250 will cover the costs of Recovery Road Show presentation, bringing the news of recovery to a church or community group.

If you would like to help bring recovery to light by making a donation or charitable contribution on line, please by click on the following link:

If you would like to make a donation or charitable contribution by mail, please make checks payable to The Verrazano Foundation and mail to:

The Verrazano Foundation
777 Seaview Avenue
Staten Island, NY 10305