A Message of Hope for Giving Tuesday
Reflecting on my Thanksgiving weekend, I am overwhelmingly grateful for the time spent with family and loved ones. That same spirit of thankfulness has filled me with hope heading into the holiday season.
Ken Trogdon —
As we’ve previously outlined on our blog, our country is facing a tragic opioid and overdose epidemic – taking the lives of over 100,000 Americans last year. As someone who is consuming reports and news coverage on this topic every day, it’s easy for me to feel overwhelmed by this crisis.
Yet I remain filled with hope.
I’m hopeful because of the united efforts and progress being made nationwide to stop the spread of synthetic opioids and prevent overdose death.
One of the drivers of my hopeful optimism is the proven life-saving effects of Naloxone. Also commonly known as Narcan, Naloxone quickly reverses overdoses by blocking the opioid effects from the brain. Utilized primarily as a nasal spray, Naloxone has proven to be an effective tool in saving lives.
HarborPath has seen the impact that Naloxone can have in preventing overdose deaths, but we know that it can only be effective when it’s on-hand for someone to administer. Our organization is working with nonprofits and local governments nationwide to make Naloxone available and affordable in areas it’s needed most.
I’m hopeful when imagining the life-saving impact of having a package of Naloxone on hand and in reach when an overdose occurs. From supplying schools and universities with emergency rescue kits to providing concerned parents or grandparents with Naloxone for their home, purse of glovebox – we are working to get Naloxone into the hands of the friends and family who need it most.
I’m also grateful for HarborPath’s work with the grassroots nonprofit Operation UNITE. Serving 32 counties in eastern Kentucky, Operation UNITE is utilizing innovative solutions to prevent overdose deaths and establish prevention and recovery programs. A grant from HarborPath helped fund a prevention projects coordinator for the organization, and they are working to place ONEBox emergency response kits across eastern Kentucky.
Finally, I’m hopeful because of the tremendous support and outreach we’ve received from our network of donors and supporters. The gifts made to HarborPath are vital to helping us increase Naloxone access and partner with other nonprofits such as Operation UNITE to save lives.
As you contemplate where to donate on Giving Tuesday and throughout the holiday season, I ask you to consider contributing to HarborPath’s mission. Your donation will make a meaningful impact on our work to save lives and equip at-risk communities with the medicine they need to fight the opioid epidemic. That’s something we can all hope for.