“Your daughter, Shelly, has been found dead in her dorm bed from a heroin overdose.” These words spiraled our family into shameful silence for seven years! NCHRC has given us the tools and platforms to advocate for these misunderstood and underserved individuals and families. Through their unparalleled, non-judgmental program, we found ourselves beginning to heal as we were given the opportunities to share our daughter’s story and offer our personal skills to be trained as activists in various avenues. Thanks to NCHRC our child will not have lived in vain! Save someone’s child from an overdose and bring their “sweet breath back again” by joining NCHRC!!!

Chad and BJ Sanders, Shelly’s brother and Mother

NCHRC has been great to work with!  I feel that we have developed a solid partnership with them because they are dedicated to improving people’s lives. NCHRC also has a huge amount of knowledge, expertise, and professionalism.  I feel like NCHRC is a long-term partner.

James “Tripp” Winslow, MD, North Carolina Director of the State Emergency Medical Services

I worked the North Carolina Harm Reduction Coalition staff, especially Robert Childs and Tessie Castillo, during the advocacy and successful passage of the Georgia 911 Medical Amnesty/Naloxone Law, and then after with launching a Naloxone program at the Holly Springs Police Department in Georgia. I found the team at NCHRC to be truly inspirational and always available to help in any way they could. They have vision, ambition and desire to push out the barriers, and bring with them enthusiasm, determination, expertise, and nonstop attitude to any event, training, seminar, or informational gathering to bring about change to the rising opiate addiction epidemic.

Lt. Tanya Boyle Smith, Holly Springs Police Department

NCHRC has been there for us every step of the way as we worked to get GA’s 911 Medical Amnesty and Naloxone Access Law created, enacted, and implemented. Their commitment to harm reduction extends well past North Carolina’s state boundaries. They (Robert, Leilani, Tessie, Amanda, Corey) are an invaluable asset to the Southeast….their work saves lives every day. 

Laurie Fugitt, RN BSN, Georgia Overdose Prevention

I support harm reduction programs because I’ll advocate for anything that protects my life and the lives of my fellow officers.

Corporal D.A. Jackson, Guilford County Sheriff’s Office

As a veteran law enforcement officer, university dean and psychotherapist, I have been associated with NCHRC for the past several years.  Since first contact, I found the staff extremely well informed on a wide variety of public health topics relevant to law enforcement, community health care and high-risk populations.   I truly value the diverse perspectives encouraged and voiced by the NCHRC membership. Robert and his staff inspire “big tent” thinking, innovation and the type of results oriented programming that (in my experience) translates into lives saved.

Det. Gary Martin, Florida Sheriff’s Association

Law enforcement must embrace the mindset that substance disorder is a disease. Thus, treatment is the preferred response to arrest. This is the only path to successfully conquer the current epidemic.

Lieutenant Det. Patrick Glynn, Quincy Police Department

My favorite part of working with NCHRC is when I receive a phone call from someone thanking me for providing them the naloxone that saved their friend or family member’s life. It’s the best feeling in the world. NCHRC is truly saving lives. I know they saved mine when they gave this once frustrated and overwhelmed recovering person who used drugs a purpose and hope, by allowing me to be a part of their solution oriented program.

Cat, Charlotte

I am alive today because NCHRC gave me and my loved ones naloxone to use in case I ever overdosed.  I am now in treatment because I was given a second chance at life.

Fred, a person who used drugs, Waynesville, NC

I have been delighted to observe and work with NCHRC staff as they provide harm reduction education to the community, law enforcement, elected representatives and one on one with at risk people and the people who love them.  Being a part of NCHRC’s commitment to introduce and pass common sense harm reduction legislation in North Carolina and other states in the South has been a humbling experience.  In one word NCHRC and staff are awesome.

Diannee Carden Glenn, Mother

As the Pastor of Catalyst Community Church in Fayetteville, NC, our calling and desire to work with those that God loves the most led us to a providential relationship, partnership, and friendship, with NCHRC. It is through this friendship that God continues to bless those that we are able to help in ways we could not have accomplished before. But, is it not just a simple client based service model that the NCHRC has helped to build, they have also helped to build a community center where families, children, and friends of those that equally suffer with their loved ones can find peace, hope, and the knowledge that there is HOPE and that there are methods to help them in the midst of any circumstance. Out of all of the organizational relationships that we have been involved in during the past seven years, I can honestly state that the one with NCHRC is by far the BEST organization we have ever had the pleasure to work with and we are looking forward to our future growth together.

Pastor James Sizemore, Catalyst Community Church, Fayetteville, NC