Page 2 - Sharing Our Story

A LETTER FROM OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SAFE PROJECT 2020

Dear SAFE Project Friends,

• SAFE distributed nearly 25,000 drug disposal pouches • Provided Your Ruck Wellness Lunch and Learn
In recovery, we often talk about resiliency. Resiliency to eliminate over 2.5 million unused prescriptions. Programming on 7 campuses nationwide giving
is how we recover from setbacks, adapt in times of assistance to veterans, their families and veteran
change, and keep going in the face of adversity. • Launched our Bridging Prevention & Recovery service centers at college campuses nationwide.
training providing innovative solutions to practitioners
Since our beginning in 2017, SAFE Project’s goal representing over 328,000 people in 17 locations. • Established weekly Virtual Veterans Recovery
has been to save one life every day. But, like so meetings to give veterans and their families a place
many, we faced two national crises; as the nation • Our NoShame pledge campaign educated thousands to go in response to COVID-19
reeled from the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, of Americans in 29 states.
Americans witnessed the deep-rooted problems of • Launched Version 2 of the SAFE Treatment Locator
racial injustice. While COVID-19 is a health crisis and • Reached over 230 campuses through technical which provides nation-wide, immediate and
racial injustice is a social construct, they intersect in Brandee Izquierdo, assistance, training, and resources. personalized support in both English and Spanish.
a dramatic way—deeply affecting the communities, Executive Director, SAFE Project
campuses, workplaces, and veterans we serve. • Continued our nationally recognized Collegiate • To better support the needs of targeted populations,
Recovery Leadership Academy providing nearly 150 SAFE developed Resources for Diverse Populations
When 2020 tested our resiliency, we quickly pivoted Internally, our entire staff took time to reassess college students nationwide with strategic planning, and collaborated with Partnership to End Addiction
together to ensure that the people and communities our portfolios of work for gaps and clarify our path project management and leadership skills. 2020- and Google to create the new Substance Use
we support stayed resilient as well. Although crises forward to ensure that all voices—especially those 2021 Fellowship programs alone resulted in greater Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Resources to
can often create temporary changes, SAFE Project that have historically been underrepresented— awareness of substance use on campus and the Assist A Military Child.
saw this as a chance to create opportunities in new are supported. Our scope of work grew to include creation of 3 new Collegiate Recovery Centers.
ways. mental health wellness, which often intersects with • Continued to provide technical assistance to
substance use disorder. The SAFE Project “Blueprint • Established Collegiate Recovery Summer Series individual communities nationwide, offering support
Externally, SAFE Project acted in the face of adversity for Change” mapped our belief that systemic racism featuring an eight-part webinar for 48 collegiate ranging from the distribution of over 100 Community
by adapting our programs, resources, and training and social factors can be changed, and access to staff members and students to improve recovery Playbooks to our on the ground, hands-on work with
to a virtual world, including creating online recovery health care, mental health services, and substance support services. the city of St. Louis, MO to improve our country’s
meetings for students and veterans. Our Collegiate use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery response to the addiction epidemic.
Recovery Leadership Program continued with must be improved. • Launched RECONNECTED social networking app
expanded online offerings even as campuses were solely for college students and alumni in recovery • Established SAFE Workplaces programs to provide
shutting down. With limited access to drug take back As the leader of this young, thriving organization, I to provide connection after graduation. Officially businesses with the essential tools and resources to
events, SAFE Project and the creators of the Deterra® am proud of the growth SAFE Project accomplished launched in October, this new network already serves combat addiction and its effects in the workplace.
Drug Deactivation System teamed up to bring at- during a turbulent year for our nation. I want to share over 150 users from 50 campuses nationwide.
home drug disposal to individual households across with you some of the highlights and give you a sneak
the US—for free. Together, in this year alone, we peek of what’s coming in 2021. • Established Veteran Wellness program piloted in “The skills, opportunities, and connections
have provided the tools to rid the country of over 2 Philadelphia, PA; Jacksonville, FL; and San Antonio, made through SAFE Project allowed our program
MILLION unused medications...one household at a With gratitude, TX. Veteran Wellness builds resilience and finds to grow by 800% and reach an additional 200+
time. innovative ways to support a veteran’s immediate people on campus through education and
needs. These programs, sponsored by Wounded outreach opportunities. I cannot thank the
Warrior Project© and Walmart, are the first steps amazing SAFE Project staff enough for all of
to a national training program for active duty and their hard work and dedication.”
veterans across the country. - Lilinoe K., 2020

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