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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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