A Rally for Recovery will take place on Saturday, November 17, from 1:00 to 3:00 pm. at Teen Plaza in Washington Square Park. The event will bring New Yorkers and friends together to begin the active recovery process through remembering, respecting, learning, and connecting.

Program participants include Allan Rosenfield, MD, Dean, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University; Rev. Alfonso Wyatt, Vice-President, Fund for the City of New York; Rabbi Chava Koster, Village Temple; Wickham Boyle, journalist and author of forthcoming book, A Mother's View from Ground Zero; Emira Habiby Browne, Director, Arab-American Family Support Center; Mindy Fullilove, MD, Co-Director, Community Research Group, Mailman School and Robert Fullilove, EdD, Associate Dean for Community and Minority Affairs and Co-Director, Community Research Group, Mailman School.

The Rally for Recovery is the first event in the Year of Recovery planned by NYC Recovers, formed in response to the September 11 disaster. NYC Recovers is a collaboration among agencies, organizations, businesses, and individuals to help New York City heal after the massive trauma our community has suffered. Through community-based and citywide events throughout the year, New Yorkers can help one another.

Sponsors include Mailman School of Public Health of Columbia University, Fountain for Youth/Fund for the City of New York, American Express Small Business Services, Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities.

Partners include Public Health Association of New York City, Northern Manhattan Community Voices Collaborative, Agenda for Children Tomorrow, Department of Environmental Psychology at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York.

Other planned activities for the Year of Recovery include a Holiday Healing, throughout the 2001 holiday season, is aimed at prevention of stress and illness; Winter Workshops in January, February, and March will focus on affirming respect for all people and learning about the sources of the current conflicts and Walk for Recovery will take place at the end of April, halfway in the Year of Recovery. During the year, conferences and workshops will be held to support the work of community leaders.

For more information on the rally or upcoming events, call Randee Sacks or Marlene Bloom at 212-305-5635 at the Mailman School of Public Health.