September Newsletter

Every Life Matters: Our New Overdose Awareness Day Effort

From August 29–31, Thrive for Change hit the ground running for our first-ever International Overdose Awareness Day initiative and Cleveland showed up in a big way!

Over the weekend, our amazing team of staff and new volunteers set up at some of Cleveland’s most popular spots, including Edgewater Park, the Flats, Mahalls, No Class, and downtown venues buzzing with concerts and events. At each location, people stopped to learn, connect, and take action.

Here’s what we accomplished together:

• Engaged with more than 1,000 Clevelanders
• Distributed 865 doses of Narcan
• Trained 117 new people on recognizing and responding to an overdose
• Welcomed new volunteers and newsletter sign-ups, building a stronger harm reduction community
• Raised over $1,000 to support ongoing outreach (final tally still pending!)

This weekend proved the power of community action. By showing up in unexpected places like concerts, beaches, and neighborhood fundraisers, we not only shared lifesaving tools but also sparked conversations that reduce stigma and inspire hope.

Thanks to you, Cleveland is showing that overdoses are preventable and that every one of us can play a role in saving lives while also honoring and remembering the loved ones we’ve lost.

Learn How to Save Lives: Join Us for Harm Reduction 101

Training, September 30th at 6:00pm

Akron Pride: Honoring Identity, Saving Lives

At Akron Pride on August 23rd, we had the opportunity to connect with a diverse and welcoming crowd.

With an estimated 14,000 people in attendance, our team was able to spread crucial information about harm reduction and engage in meaningful conversations that help shift perspectives and reduce stigma.

Throughout the day, we handed out 481 naloxone kits and 480 fentanyl testing strips each one representing a chance to save a life.

More importantly, we were able to talk with hundreds of people about overdose prevention, safer practices, and the importance of keeping our community safe.

Every conversation counts. Carry naloxone and share what you know. A safer future starts with all of us.

Thrive for Change on the Prehospital Paradigm Live Podcast

Our very own Bethany Roebuck and Elisha Starkey (Lish) joined Dr. Jon Hill, along with paramedics Scott Wildenheim and Caleb Ferroni, on the Prehospital Paradigm Podcast at Highland Heights Fire Department to talk about harm reduction in Cleveland on August 25th.

The conversation explored stigma, overdose response, safer use practices, and how EMS and public health can work together to save lives.

This episode is a powerful look at bridging emergency care with harm reduction, offering practical tools and fresh perspectives for reducing overdose deaths and improving patient engagement.

A huge thank you to the Prehospital Paradigm team and Highland Heights FD for creating a space where we could share harm reduction and stigma education not just locally, but with audiences around the world.