Jeff Bergosh Blog: IMPACT 100 Gives Pensacola a Huge Win in the Fight to Prevent Opioid Overdose Deaths

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Tuesday, October 15, 2019

IMPACT 100 Gives Pensacola a Huge Win in the Fight to Prevent Opioid Overdose Deaths

Health and Hope Clinic of Pensacola receives $106,000.00 to start a free distribution of NARCAN program locally

IMPACT 100 is one of the largest philanthropic organizations in the Pensacola area. This organization consists of over 1,100 women from our community who each give $1,000.00 yearly to a fund that in turn donates this entire amount to multiple worthwhile nonprofits in the area. They give back 100% of their membership dues to charitable groups that benefit the community--this year that total is more than $1 Million Dollars.

IMPACT 100 groups are found throughout the nation and in Australia and Canada--however Pensacola's chapter is the largest in the world! This year IMPACT 100 of the Pensacola Bay Area awarded 11 grants of $106,000.00 each to 11 very worthwhile recipients in our community. NorthEscambia.com did a nice succinct rundown of who won what in this article.

One 2019 recipient in particular will start a program to save lives locally, from day one of implementation of this grant, with the distribution of NARCAN to members of our community that request this lifesaving drug. In addition to distribution of this NARCAN spray (which can be administered to someone who has overdosed on an opioid--and works even if the person is not breathing)-the award recipient, Health and Hope Clinic of Pensacola, will also begin a marketing and awareness campaign about NARCAN and how it can save lives. Currently-there are faith-based health clinics around the state that are distributing this lifesaving drug--however before this program got funded Sunday the closest location where a citizen could get NARCAN spray for free was three counties away in Walton County!

With this grant award, the Health and Hope Clinic will bring this program where it is desperately needed--the greater Pensacola area.

Health and Hope Clinic of Pensacola receives $106,000.00 to start a free distribution of NARCAN program locally

Escambia County has joined a growing number of municipalities and counties nationwide in suing the companies that profited from these opioids that have taken so many lives. The largest of these companies has already sought bankruptcy protection.

Meanwhile, thousands upon thousands of citizens overdose yearly nationwide. Many by accident. In 2017 alone in our 2-county area----more than 500,000 legal prescriptions for opioids were filled! These medications can be highly addictive within weeks for some users and sometimes, unfortunately, this leads to tragic consequences right here in our community.

Because when someone overdoses on these drugs, the breathing stops and permanent brain damage and/or death can occur within 6-7 minutes.

But this NARCAN spray, if sprayed into the nostrils of someone who has passed out, can bring them back from the overdose and save them.

The IMPACT of this grant is it will save lives locally---and that is a great thing!

Thanks IMPACT 100 and congratulations to the Health and Hope Clinic of Pensacola!