(front) Jordynne Lindsay (P2P Project Coordinator), Tyler (Peer), Margery Muharrem (United Way of Chatham-Kent), Colleen Lewis (ROCK Missions)
A local agency helping those most vulnerable in our community has been given a huge helping hand.
R.O.C.K Missions (Reach Out Chatham-Kent) has received a $710,000 grant from the Health Canada Substance Use and Addictions Program to expand its Peer-2-Peer Program.
“We can’t ignore the opioid poisoning epidemic happening across Chatham-Kent,” says R.O.C.K. Missions’ Operations Coordinator, Renee Geniole. “These rates may sound staggering, but they Only scratch the surface of the true prevalence of opioid poisonings in our community, or the immense cost of living through this crisis. Hundreds of opioid poisonings go unreported due to systemic barriers that continue to marginalize people who use substances. Lack of access to services, stigma, medical violence, and criminalization are a few examples of the barriers faced by individuals we work with.”
Right now, the Peer-2-Peer program operates weekly within the Chatham city limits, providing low-barrier access to information, harm reduction supplies, community-driven outreach and support to those experiencing homelessness and people who use substances.
Officials say expanding the program will help fill a critical gap in harm reduction and substance use services to those who live in rural and marginalized communities across Chatham-Kent.
The Health Canada funding will help grow the Peer-2-Peer program beyond Chatham and into communities that lack access to harm reduction supports with the initial expansion set to begin before the end of the month.
“We’re grateful that Health Canada recognizes the importance of this initiative and our ability to facilitate it. We’re excited to expand the services to the smaller communities in Chatham-Kent that have less access to the support they need. And we want to thank our community partners, the individuals we serve, and the entire community. We recognize that we could not do what we do without all of Chatham-Kent behind us.”