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Kenny Dewan launches nonprofit to support addiction recovery
Dewan said the idea for it emerged from observing recurring challenges faced by patients after completing primary addiction treatment.
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Malvika Choudhary - Sat, 03, May 2025
- 12:18 EDT
- 147
Kenny Dewan / Amazon
Indian American entrepreneur Kenny Dewan launched the Mahalo Recovery Foundation (MRF), a nonprofit initiative aimed at providing long-term support for individuals recovering from addiction.
Dewan, who co-founded Akua Behavioral Health in 2012 and transitioned it into employee ownership in 2021, said the idea for MRF emerged from recurring challenges faced by patients after completing primary addiction treatment.
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A lack of financial resources for sober living, limited access to mentorship, and the absence of coordinated aftercare often contributed to relapse, according to Dewan.
“Working with Akua, you see the incredible strength people have to fight for recovery,” he said. “But it’s tough when they leave treatment and face a world that isn’t always set up to support them.”
The Mahalo Recovery Foundation intends to provide support in three areas: connecting individuals to recovery resources, offering financial aid for sober housing, and helping expand treatment infrastructure through partnerships with public and private stakeholders.
Dewan, who has decades of experience in real estate through his firm MondayOne, said he plans to leverage that background in building out recovery-related facilities.
The foundation also plans to incorporate peer mentorship, linking individuals in early recovery with others who have maintained long-term sobriety. According to MRF, this model is intended to foster accountability and emotional support—elements often lacking once formal care ends.
MRF’s long-term objectives include advocating for systemic reforms in addiction treatment, particularly in addressing structural barriers such as poverty and inadequate access to mental health care. While still in its early stages, Dewan said he hopes the foundation will serve as a model for integrating long-term aftercare into the recovery process.
The initiative reflects a growing recognition within the addiction treatment field that sustained recovery often requires ongoing support beyond clinical intervention. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, relapse rates for substance use disorders are estimated to be between 40 and 60 percent, in part due to the lack of continuing care.
In addition to his work in behavioral health, Dewan is known for founding Advanced Speaker Manufacturing (ASM), which produced components for major audio brands, and for his development of commercial and residential real estate. He has been featured in Forbes and Builder & Developer for his views on leadership and workplace culture.
The Mahalo Recovery Foundation is based in Newport Beach and is currently working to establish partnerships with service providers and community organizations. Dewan emphasized that the foundation’s focus is not on expanding clinical services but on addressing gaps in the recovery journey.
“MRF is about being that support—giving people a real chance to hold onto their sobriety and build a future they deserve,” he said.
Dewan is the author of It’s All About the Business Culture and has more than three decades of experience in entrepreneurship and leadership. He holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in International Business and Marketing from West Coast University, California, and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Maharishi International University, Iowa.
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