On Monday, May 7th 2007, The Brent Shapiro Foundation along with Prolym and Revolution Eyewear kicked off the 2nd Annual Sober Day USA celebration with a bang at Paramount Studios in Hollywood.

Set in the heart of the 'city', we literally took the message of Sober Day USA and The Brent Shapiro Foundation to the streets! The event took place on the New York Lot, making it feel like an old fashioned community block party and concert where all 1,500 who attend helped us in commemorating the true spirit of Sober Day USA. Now more than ever we can see just how much we are ALL effected in some way by the disease of chemical dependence. This special and unique day is geared towards recognizing and supporting those who struggle with this dreadful disease while shedding light on just how difficult the struggle can be for EVERYONE, especially while in a 'party' setting.

Sober Day USA 2007 event catered to the entire community from celebrity guests, parents, teens, sober connoisseurs, and even those who were not, yet all eager to come together in celebration of awareness and great fun while in a completely sober environment. From food to drinks to music and entertainment, there was something for everyone. Whether participating in basketball shootouts, riding the ferris wheel, taking unlimited photo in the commemorative photo booths, or perusing that latest products & fashion from various vendors like Prolym, Revolution Eyewear and Ed Hardy, all attendees openly discussed how the absence of alcohol was barely noticed.

Guests had their fill of delicious items from In & Out Burger, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts and several tasty treats from Hamburger Hamlet's decedent dessert menu. Keeping in theme of "sobriety", every bar was stocked to the brim, offering incredible "mocktails"; a non-alcoholic alternative to the everyday cocktail. Hint Water, Rockstar and IZZE Sparkling Juice proudly provided the beverages on tap, along with a menu of specialty 'mocktails' such as the 'Get b'IZZE', 'Pina Co-Nada', the 'No-jito'.

What's a celebration with out music? Thanks to celebrity DJs, A.M. and 5ive, the crowd was kept movin' and groovin' while both parents and children alike enjoyed the diverse musical selections ranging from 50's & 60's, 80's & 90's and the latest hits on the charts of today. Saving the best for last, the evening closed with one spectacular concert by the night's special musical guests, SHE WANTS REVENGE.

Of course with this much excitement and such an abundance of guests, media coverage was at an all time high. TV media graciously covering the event. Entertainment Tonight, Access Hollywood, The Insider, Extra, LATV, KTLA and ET on MTV, all graced the airwaves with excellent coverage of the event. Well respected publications such as People, Us Weekly, Hollywood Life, 944 and Bello Magazine featured the celebration & its celebrity guess along with Wire Image, Celebrity Photo, Daily Celeb, Glam.com provided candid and unbelievable stills of the red carpet arrivals and more.

Due to the vast and diverse mass coverage of the Foundation's 2nd Annual Sober Day USA event, a estimated 14 million people were directly exposed to the Foundation and it's message. More importantly, how to help in joining the Foundation's crusade in creating a heightened understanding and awareness of the chronic disease of chemical dependence and proving that together, as a openly communicating community, we can and will save lives.

In celebration of our first year, The Brent Shapiro Foundation joined forces with high-end clothing giants, The Denim Revolution, to bring you the 1st Annual Rock & Shop for Awareness Sample Sale. Held on a beautiful Sunday afternoon on October 8th, it was located at the lovely Bel-Age Hotel, and catered to all upscale fashion connoisseurs, eager to get their ..shop on.. all in the name of drug and alcohol awareness.

DJ AM headlined while LAs newest & hottest turntable staples, DJ Grant Shapiro, DJ Billy Morrison with Camp Freddy and DJ Cobra of Abe Froman Showman, set the musical mood while shoppers indulged in the latest trends all for a great cause.

The Rock & Shop Sample Sale was held in two parts and featured designers like Citizens of Humanity, XII Karats, Seven Jeans, True Religion, J & Co., Ella Moss, James Jeans, Splendid, California Vintage, Linea Pelle, Junk Food, Lipstick Bandits, Hudson, & many more. With over 5000 pairs of jeans, sweats, tops, belts it was a trend overload, all at 60 to 80% off the retail price.

The morning portion (held between 10am - 12.30pm) opened with DJ AM setting the tone with his incredible sounds, while friends and family of the Shapiro..s & the Foundation shopped and all the celebrities who attended signed designer pieces for the Foundation..s upcoming 2007 Auction. Coverage of this portion of the event was graciously held by Wire Image, Daily Celeb, Glam.com and many more, conducting one-on-one..s with the Shapiro..s and other celebrities who wish to share their support of the Foundation and it..s mission.

By the afternoon, the sale was open to the fashion savvy public; men & women who adore luxury apparel and were eager to catch the incredible deals that awaited them. While DJ..s spun the soundtrack of life in the land of the trendsetters, patrons quenching their fashion thirst were also able to quench their palette thanks to a new and upcoming hot little soda company; DRY SODA.

At the end of this lengthy day of music, fashion and drug awareness, a total of over 600 people attended raising over $24,000 for the Foundation. We thank everyone who not only participated but who came in support of this incredible Foundation. We are truly grateful to you and your continued support as we continue to instill Brent..s legacy and further our mission to save lives.

The Warped Tour in July is known for its key summer ingredients; sun, fun and music...but now we can add one more component to that perfect equation: Awareness. Thanks to the Foundation..s presence at the 2006 Van..s Warped Tour this year, The Brent Shapiro Foundation was a huge hit and gained an incredible amount of much needed grass roots exposure to our targeted demographic.

The Warped Tour is a longest running national concert tour attended by over 5 million kids, ages 11-18. They put on approx. 50 shows in 30 states and Canada in a 2 month span. Attendance per show runs from 10K-30K with an estimated 10-15% if those being parents. The Brent Shapiro Foundation took full advantage of this by participating in the following two avenues of : ..Reverse Daycare Tent.. & ..Take Action! Non-Profit Tent...

Spanning throughout the entire national tour, the Foundation..s innovative ..What..s Your Story?.... PSAs were featured in the ..Reverse Daycare Tent.., a place where concert-goers could drop off their parents in an air-conditioned, fully enclosed tent complete with beverages, movies, video games and even a massage or two. Through our the throughout each day, the PSAs where shown in a commercial format in between each film, and with the help of soundproof headphones, captured the full attention of its audience, the parents and guardians of the music loving teens. The introduction to the PSA..s & Documentary was incredibly beneficial in it..s hand deliverance, for it reached both of our pivotal target markets simultaneously, with the hope of encouraging parents to discuss the trials & tribulations of parenthood and substance abuse awareness.

In conjunction with the countrywide viewing of the PSAs, the Foundation was able to attend 3 of the local dates here in Southern California. Starting with July 7th in Pomona, then July 11th in Ventura and rounding out the hands-on approach on July 12th in Los Angeles at Dodgers Stadium. Through the talents of Lindsey Abrahamson and several new and eager volunteers of the Foundation, the word was spread to the masses of concert goers, gathering their attention by ..arming.. them with the ever-popular Foundation wristbands and providing them with the Save a Life cards, encouraging them to slip it into their wallets. Throughout the 3 days the Foundation attended, over 1200 wristbands were distributed and 1500 Save a Life cards were given and well received by concert-goers.

The Vans Warped Tour is still traveling on, with the PSAs being shown not only in the ..Reverse Daycare Tent.. but now in conjunction with the ..An Inconvenient Truth.. Trailer at the ..In Convenient Truth- Global Warming.. Booth, which is in the heart of the two main stages for the rest of the tour ending on August 13th, in Montreal, QC

On the first two gorgeous days in June, House of Hype opened its doors in honor of 2006 MTV Movie Awards, and benefiting The Brent Shapiro Foundation. Set in a prestigious Beverly Hills estate, The House of Hype featured the finest brands in the technology, music, fashion, automotive and sporting industries and created the perfect yet unique lifestyle retreat for upscale & celebrity male clientele. Providing various interactive gifting suites and featuring resort-style amenities. This two-day and two-night event was well received and added to the already growing number of highly influential celebrity supporters and sponsors of the Foundation. The daytime events showcased men's luxury lifestyle products from the following industries; automotive, fashion, gaming, health, sports and technology. In the evening, the venue will transformed into an ultra sleek nightclub featuring celebrity DJâs Benji and Joel Madden of Good Charlotte and DJ Steve Aoki as well as cater to Hollywood's hottest A-list crowd.The Brent Shapiro Foundation booth was perfectly placed in a high traffic area, which ensured immediate contact with all 200 guests who attended each day. Erin Mikosz and Lindsey Abrahamson, both from the Foundation, had a chance to personally connect with patrons and share the reasons we were there and our Foundation's core mission, to spread awareness. Through brochures, bracelet's, t-shirts and more, logo placement & branding of the Foundation was at a high and given our well received novelty items and staff's conversations. Media Coverage of the Foundation's booth and it's guests were at a high, thanks to photo's taken by WireImage, House of Hype, 944 and KTLA. Celebrities gladly posed either wearing the wristbands, posing with the staff signing the LA Dodgers jerseys, or the Foundation sign.         

        

        

        

      Celebrities included: Ludacris, Good Charlotte, Taryn Manning, Hoobastank, Danny Masterson, Cast of the Hills (new MTV reality show) Tyson Beckford, Derek Luke, Kal Penn ( Harold and Kumar) Shawn Pyform (Desperate Housewives) Eric Weldon, Shannon Elizabeth, Anthony Michael Hall, Cuttino Mobley (LA Clippers) Ray-J, Ty Hodges, Latoya Jackson, Matthew Lillard, Aaron Carter and Nick Carter (The Carterâs reality show) Samantha Mumba, Billy Morrison, Beverly Mitchell, Lane Garrison, Toni Trucks, Robert Patrick ( Walk the Line) Christina Millian, Nick Canon, Randy Jackson, Kevin Dillion, Jerrell Pippens (San Diego Chargers) Dave Weintrab, Sean Stewart, Simon Rex, Blu Cantrell, Brian Geraghty (Jarhead) Damien Fahey, Eddie Griffin, Enrique Murciano ( Without a Trace) Evan Peters ( Invasion) Garrett Hedlund ( Four Brothers) Daniel Love, P-DUB, Backstreet Boys, Matthew Lillard, Randy Spelling, Kathy Hilton, Daniel Francese, Robert & Grant Shapiro

Attorney Robert L. Shapiro, Chairman, The Brent Shapiro Foundation for Drug Awareness Los Angeles, California Testified before the U. S. House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor/Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, on March 30, 2006 at 3:45 pm

Below is a copy of his written testimonyRobert L. Shapiro, Esq., Chairman, The Brent Shapiro Foundation for Drug Awareness, Attorney, Partner; Christensen, Miller, Fink, Jacobs, Glaser, Weil & Shapiro, LLPMr. Chairman and members of the Subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to testify on the subject of the Fiscal Year 2007 appropriation for substance abuse. I come today as a parent to hopefully give a voice to the millions of families across the United States who have children suffering from the disease of alcohol and drug dependence.Every person in America is affected by alcohol and drug dependence and its consequences - either personally, at home, in the workplace, as victims of crimes, and/or as a taxpayer. Now reaching epidemic proportions, this disease is an equal opportunity disease. It affects all ages from children to the elderly; the rich and poor alike; the educated and uneducated; male and female; and single individuals and families. For those that have this disease, it is a daily struggle that not only affects the individual but also those around them, magnifying the impact of this disease.Alcohol and drug dependence exists when physical and behavioral problems are sufficient enough to interfere with an individuals life. It is an out of control disease that is ruining and taking the lives of our youth. Today, one in four deaths is attributable to alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drug use. One hundred thousand people die a year from alcohol-induced disorders. Twenty thousand people die a year from drug-induced problems. There are more deaths, illness, and disabilities from substance abuse than from any other preventable health condition and despite recent improvements in some usage trends, drug-related deaths have more than doubled since the early 1980s. The leading cause of death in young people aged 15 to 24 is accidents, especially car accidents, followed by homicide and suicide: in all three leading causes combined, half of the deaths of these children and adolescents are associated with alcohol and drug use at the time of death. Not surprisingly, kids in trouble with the law are also using alcohol and drugs: 4 out of 5 children and teens that end up in state juvenile justice systems are using alcohol and or drugs at the time of arrest.As a parent and an attorney, I witnessed firsthand the deadliness of this disease. On October 9, 2005, my life and family were shattered. That evening my 25 year old son Brent went to a football game. At a party after the game, with eighteen months of sobriety under his belt, he thought he could experiment with alcohol. He drank beer at the game and had two drinks at the party, based on the trigger effects of this disease, he then took a half of a tab of Ecstasy. As a result, he became severely ill and had difficulty breathing; however, because no one wanted to have his relapse recorded, no one called the paramedics. At 7:00 am the next morning, he stopped breathing and by the time the paramedics were called, it was too late. He arrived at the hospital in a coma and was buried a day and a half later. Brent was a man with a large and loving heart who was also a Dean's List student and an athlete, raised in a good home with two loving parents and a supporting younger brother. If this sounds like your family, it probably is.After my son lost his battle, I formed The Brent Shapiro Foundation for Drug Awareness. Our mission is to raise awareness through education; remove the stigma and isolation associated with this disease by promoting an open and honest dialog; and work towards prevention including early identification of those at high risk. We intend to search for biological markers of alcohol and drug dependence, and study the apparent increased risk between common childhood problems such as ADHD, other learning disabilities and the susceptibility to this disease. We believe that increasing awareness is the first step to change change in the way this disease is viewed; change in the way it is identified and prevented; change in the way people who have this disease are viewed by society; and change in treatment modalities. We want to build systems that support families and their children to prevent the disease of alcohol and drug dependence from occurring. Family-based interventions are needed before brain alterations occur and complete physical and emotional dependence is firmly entrenched.Historically, the fight with this disease has been approached from two sides: the demand side, which includes prevention and treatment, and the supply side, which includes interdiction and law enforcement. However, these sides are not treated equally. In the proposed fiscal budget for 2007, 65% of monies spent will go to reducing the drug supply and only 35% will go to reducing the demand. The fact that we are planning on spending almost two-thirds of the allotted monies to reducing supply, would lead one to believe this approach has proven the most effective. Yet today, the supply of alcohol and drugs is greater than ever and they cost less than ever before. Alcohol and drugs are readily available right down to the local elementary school. The illegal drugs available today are growing in potency. Marijuana considered by some to be harmless is now 10-20 times more potent then it was in the 1960s. The problem is not limited to illegal drugs. Abuse of prescription drugs, such as Vicodin and Oxycontin is on the rise among American youth. The Internet has become an easy source of obtaining these prescription drugs. If you type in the word, Vicodin, you will probably get over 500 sites from which you can order them without even a doctors visit, and they are delivered right to your doorstep.If our society is to attain reliable momentum in turning around the problems of alcohol and drug dependence aggregate gains need to be demonstrated. As a society, we must evaluate the efficacy of all of our supply or demand efforts. Studies of effectiveness should be a requirement for any publicly funded effort: the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration, National Institute on Drug Abuse and National Institute on Alcohol and Alcoholism are experts at coordinating such studies. Our Foundations view is that aggregate gains will only occur with the development of a process that combines economy of scale with sustainability.I am not a scientist, but I am a concerned and focused parent. Like so many parents I am aware that the problem of alcohol and drug dependence is not going away. History has taught us that we have not and will never be able to stop the supply of these drugs. The effort to turn the tide on alcohol and drug dependence will only be won with both sides working in tandem. However, I do believe that the demand side is being short-changed and limited funds are hampering the efforts of those on the demand side of this equation.It is our belief that prevention programs should work with parents via programs aimed at striking a balance between enhancing protective factors, such as parental involvement and reducing risk factors such as peers who use alcohol and drugs. We need to teach our children to deal with peer pressure. We need to work on eroding the youth cultures acceptance of everything from binge drinking to raves, where drugs are not only accepted but expected. On the weekends, hospital emergency rooms are filled with kids who overdosed or are victims of accidents involving drugs and alcohol. We at the Foundation believe that by engaging key stakeholders such as parents, teachers, children, teens, young adults, healthcare workers, while also reaching out to law enforcement will bear the greatest results.We need every resource available to ease this situation. SAMSHA plays a critical role in researching and implementing programs for the prevention and treatment of substance dependence. I was extremely alarmed to learn that between 2001 and 2007 government funding for prevention programs decreased 21%. Awareness and prevention need to be more wholly supported, only then can we have a turnaround in the way this disease is viewed and treated. Please remember, this is a family disease, if even one family member has it the entire family suffers from it. Thank you for your time.Thank you for this opportunity to testify.ROBERT L. SHAPIRORobert Shapiro, the father of Brent Shapiro, is one of the most recognized attorneys in the world. He is currently a partner at the Los-Angeles based Law Firm of Christensen Miller, Fink, Jacobs, Weil, Glaser & Shapiro, LLP. He is the head of the firm's white-collar criminal defense section. He was admitted to the California State Bar in 1969.A graduate of UCLA, he holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Finance. At Loyola Law School he was the recipient of two American Juris Prudence awards. He was both the winner of the Moot Court Competition and served as its Chief Justice. Mr. Shapiro clerked for Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office during his last year in law school. Upon graduation he accepted a position as a public prosecutor for two and a half years. He entered private practice in 1972 and gained a reputation for representing high profile individuals in criminal cases. In 1990 Mr. Shapiro became Of Counsel to the firm of Bushkin, Gaims, Gaines & Jonas. His practice expanded to include civil litigation. Upon the founding of the Christensen Miller firm, Mr. Shapiro became Of Counsel. In 1995 he became a named partner of the firm.Mr. Shapiro was recently profiled in the New York Times as one of the nations most prominent attorneys. His list of high profile cases includes the defense of O.J. Simpson, Christian Brando, and Robert Evans. He successfully represented the President of Mobil Oil Company charged with manslaughter resulting from a tank explosion. Less known but equally important is Mr. Shapiro's expertise in international law and civil litigation. He is a frequent guest on network and cable television shows and is called upon for his legal expertise. He is also a co-founder of Legalzoom.com that offers online legal document preparation.Mr. Shapiro has written and lectured extensively on legal issues and procedures. He is the author of For the Defense (Loyola Law Review, November 1996), The Search For Justice: A Defense Attorney's Brief on the O.J. Simpson Case (1996), a New York Times Bestseller, and When The Press Calls: A Lawyer's View (California Litigation, Fall 1991) and the novel, Misconception. He was honored by the California State Bar Journal for having authored one of the ten best legal articles of the decade. He is the recipient of the pro-bono lawyer of the year from the State of Nevada. The Los Angeles Daily Journal has listed Mr. Shapiro as one of its 100 Super Lawyers. In his leisure time Mr. Shapiro is an avid sports fan supporting both the Lakers and the Kings. He is a passionate boxing fan as well as an amateur boxer. He resides in Los Angeles with his wife of 35 years, Linell, and his son, Grant.DISCLOSUREThe Brent Shapiro Foundation for Drug Awareness has never received any funds from a Federal grant (or as a sub-grant thereof) or contract (or subcontract thereof).

Hollywood displayed its support for the Annual SOBER DAY USA: A Day of Awareness sponsored The Brent Shapiro Foundation of Drug Awareness on Monday, May 1, 2006 Hollywood party, the 1st Annual Sober Day USA Event was conducted without one drop of alcohol present. This gave a tremendous amount of support for our sober guests, while turning the table on those who are not sober to show them just how difficult it can be to attend a party setting with alcohol flowing freely. Grooving sounds of bi-coastal turntablist, DJ VICE, patrons shared stories of their bouts with this disease, whether personally or effected through a friend or relative.


The talented bar manager of The Standard Hotel had conquered the SOBER DAY theme and put us all in the mood with the most amazing menu of "Mock-Tails" replacing the normal "Cocktails." Ranging from lip-smacking sweet to refreshing and light, the "Juicy Fruit," "Red Snapper," "Pom Pilot," and "Berry Good" were all on tap for the evening, complementing the incredible and delicious bites from Chef Dave, who truly outdid himself for this event.

The Foundation premiered its Whats My Story? Documentary to the diverse crowd of celebrities, government figures, business leaders, and members of the legal community; and others. Some aware of their purpose in attending that evening and others unaware of the extent of drug and alcohol abuse around them. Yet, all were instantaneously moved and upon seeing the documentary and quickly voiced their eagerness to support The Brent Shapiro Foundation for Drug Awareness in any way they can.

Media coverage was in abundance with the hottest TV media graciously covering the event. Entertainment Tonight, Access Hollywood, and The Insider all ran stories on the May 1st event, the next day. The coverage continues on ET on MTV this weekend. Print and magazine staples such as People Magazine, US Weekly, In Touch, and 944 Magazine will be releasing their coverage in the coming weeks. For those ready now to see pictures of the event, stills are available at the top two photo websites, DailyCeleb.com and WireImage.com under 1st Annual SOBER DAY USA and will available shortly on this website.

The Foundation wants to acknowledge the sponsors of this event without whom it would have been possible. Our platinum sponsors included: Paul Mitchell Systems, Inc., Lucas Jewelry, and Provident Financial Management. A special thanks goes to House Gadget for supplying and running all our audio-visual needs.Our deep appreciation to our other sponsors: 944 Magazine, Anthony Logistics for Men, Brett Ratner Productions, California Springs, Chicken Soup for the Soul Enterprises, Claridges, Croton Watches, Diane Merrick Clothing Store, Ed Hardy Clothing, Elemis, John F. Kelly, M. B. York Products, Sei Water, SIROD LA, Tag Jeans, and Whitestarr.

On Monday May 1, 2006, The Brent Shapiro Foundation, in conjunction with the Goshen Community Development Coalition and BEST Coalition, both of kicked off SOBER DAY USA: A Day of Awareness. Hosting a town hall meeting, key members of the Las Vegas drug and alcohol treatment and prevention community came to support and offer their expertise at the event.

Dr. Larry Gamell, the Program Manager for the Office of Minority Health, welcomed the Foundation to the State of Nevada and spoke eloquently about the problem of substance abuse in the state. He then introduced Belinda Thompson, Executive Director, Goshen Community Development Coalition, who gave a passionate speech around the topic of What About the Children. She was then followed by Loyd Goolsby, Executive Director, BEST Coalition, who told about the reality of fighting substance abuse in the local communities. Douglas A. Selby, City Manager, also attended the town hall meeting

Mayor Oscar Goodman introduced Attorney Robert Shapiro, Chairman of the Foundation, who discussed about The Foundation, his son, Brent, and SOBER DAY USA: A Day of Awareness. He then introduced the Foundations revolutionary awareness campaign, Whats Your Story, debuting for the first time in the State of Nevada. The community leaders were unanimous in approving the power and effectiveness of the documentary and requested copies to be distributed to all Nevada coalitions, schools. and other government and community organizations.

We, at the Foundation, are most excited about our developing relationship with Nevada and thank Las Vegas community for such as warm welcome with special thanks to the Goshen Community and BEST coalitions that who worked so hard to make the town hall a success.

Thursday, May 4th 2006

In the middle of finals, The Brent Shapiro Foundation for Drug Awareness and USC's Interfraternity Council (IFC) joined forces to sponsor a comedy "study break." Students poured into Bovard Hall for an afternoon of entertaining hilarity. Hosting the event was Paul Hughes, joined by comedy veteran Charles Fleisher, and several up & coming comedians such as Maz Jobrani, Dov Davidoff, Mike Black, and Second City's Graduate Improv Group.

The event's purpose was to bring the Foundation's message of prevention, awareness, communication, and education to USC's student body; to raise monies for the Foundation itself; and to announce the establishment of The Brent Shapiro Scholarship. To win this scholarship, students will be submitting ideas for drug awareness/prevention programs. The best submission will be judged by a panel made up of members from the Foundation and USC with the winner then awarded the scholarship and having their proposed awareness/prevention program implemented at USC. The scholarship applications will be made available this Fall 2006 during Welcome Week at USC.

Attorney Robert Shapiro, Chairman of the Foundation, spoke briefly at the event about SOBER DAY USA and his son, Brent, who was a USC student. Paul Hughes, a friend of Brent, gave a moving tribute to him that touched everyone in the room.

We, at the Foundation, are most excited about our continuing relationship with USC. A very special thank you goes out to the students that worked so hard to make this event totally awesome: Andrew Skotzko, William Foley, Camille Vasquez, and the rest of the members of their team for it was their hard work, support, and initiative, that made this event such a stunning success.