Event aims to get naloxone everywhere while reducing stigma
EASTON, MD
Three locations in Talbot County are part of the largest free Naloxone event in the country, from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Thursday, September. 26.
More than 30 states will host more than 300 free naloxone events for the country’s largest annual free naloxone day to date, Save a Life Day: East, covering all states east of the Mississippi River. Talbot County locations are Talbot County Senior Center, 400 Brookletts Ave, Easton; Talbot County Department of Social Services, 301 Bay St, Easton; and Cordova Volunteer Fire Company, 11864 Kitty’s Corner Road, Cordova.
All attendees will receive one naloxone kit, an in-person training, and information about local resources.
“We are excited to host Save a Life Day for Talbot County,” said Kelley Callaghan, founder of Grace Street, a recovery community organization in Easton. “We work hard at getting Naloxone out and into the community, and hope people can come learn more about harm reduction and the importance of getting involved.”
Naloxone, more well known by one of its brand names, Narcan, is an easy-to use nasal spray that reverses an opioid overdose.
Across the East, organizers plan to distribute more than 70,000 naloxone doses throughout the day. People who use drugs, their family members and friends, community members and anyone who wants to be prepared to save a life are welcome to get trained. The training takes just 5-10 minutes and people can show up anytime from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m.
Grace Street is the organizer for Save a Life Day in Talbot County, with Talbot County Department of Social Services, Talbot County Senior Center, and Cordova Volunteer Fire Company serving as key partners and site leaders for the event.
The eastern half of the country has been especially devastated by the overdose crisis–the 26 states East of the Mississippi River held nearly two thirds (64.5%) of the country’s overdose fatalities in 2022. Overdose fatality ratings by state show that out of the top ten hardest-hit states, eight run on the eastern side of the country.
In 2018, 80% of fentanyl-related overdose deaths occurred east of the Mississippi River, before fentanyl worked its way into the western drug supply. Save a Life Day supporters are hoping this year’s message of putting ‘naloxone everywhere’ and challenging stigma will travel west as well. Save a Life Day started as a two-county pilot in WV in 2020, and by 2023 spread to all 13 Appalachian states. By 2025, organizers expect it to go fully national.
A list of participating states and counties can be found at www.soarwv.org/east.
Grace Street opened in Easton in August of 2023 as the sole recovery community organization (RCO) on the Mid-Shore. An RCO is a non-profit organization that is led by people with direct lived experience with substance use challenges and recovery.
As an RCO, Grace Street provides peer-based and other recovery support services; operates the region’s only harm reduction vending machine that includes Narcan, Fentanyl and Xylazine test strips; offers free harm reduction materials and services, including wound care; conducts weekly street outreach; provides resource connection and supports; provides life skills and workforce development, including peer recovery support training for certification; hosts support groups and fosters recovery-focused community education.
Grace Street is dedicated to saving lives and fostering healing for anyone affected by substance use. This is done by mobilizing resources within and outside of the recovery community, to increase the prevalence and quality of long-term recovery from alcohol and other drug addiction.
Grace Street serves people across the Mid-Shore. Referrals are not necessary, and services are free. The center is open weekdays and Sundays, 4 – 9 pm. and Saturdays, 2 – 7 p.m. Daytime hours vary. Anyone interested in volunteering or partnering can email marketing@gracestreetrecovery.org or visit GraceStreetRecovery.org. Supporters may donate directly online at GraceStreetRecovery.org.
Grace Street is a component fund of Chesapeake Charities, a community foundation based in Stevensville.
This project is supported by the Maryland’s Office of Overdose Response and the Center for Harm Reduction. The views presented here are those of the grantee organization and not necessarily those of the Center for Harm Reduction or of MOOR, its Executive Director, or its staff.
###
