Updated 4:00 p.m. CT
WASHINGTON – In recognition of its efforts to save lives during the opioid crisis, Emily’s Hope attended an event to showcase the White House for the Challenge to Save Lives from Overdose. As Emily’s Hope previously reported, the White House launched the initiative to try to save lives as the nation battles its deadliest drug epidemic in history. The challenge encourages public and private organizations and businesses across the country to increase training and access to life-saving opioid overdose reversal medications, such as Narcan.
During Tuesday’s White House event, the White House Domestic Policy Council (DPC) and the Office of National Drug Control Policy celebrated nearly 250 groups expanding access to lifesaving opioid overdose reversal medications.
“Being part of this national initiative is a tremendous honor, and we’re proud of the progress we’ve made in Sioux Falls. Since we began distributing Narcan on Fentanyl Awareness Day on May 7th, Emily’s Hope has given out 2,000 doses and placed four free Narcan distribution boxes in key locations. We’re also encouraging businesses to keep naloxone kits next to their defibrillators, because in today’s climate, having access to Narcan can truly be the difference between life and death,” said Angela Kennecke, founder of Emily’s Hope.
Emily’s Hope has placed free Narcan boxes throughout the Sioux Falls community, including at Falls Community Health, the Jones421 Market and both Tires Tires Tires locations.
“We launched this challenge and called on leaders in the community, in power and in workplaces to step up and I’m proud to announce that more than 250 organizations covering all 50 states, across so many sectors of society did step up,” said Dr. Rahul Gupta, Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy.
According to the White House, these commitments span entertainment and hospitality, professional sports leagues, health care providers, trade associations, schools and universities, technology companies, transportation partners, faith groups, and private businesses.
Representatives from many of those sectors attended, including:
- Amazon, which announced naloxone kits and training will be in all of Amazon’s operations sites in the U.S., covering over 500,000 employees at hundreds of sites nationwide.
- The United States Postal Service, which has trained 59,000 employees in 1,318 facilities in U.S. counties facing high numbers of overdose deaths.
- The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA
- Atlanta Public Schools
- The North Carolina Council of Churches
- The Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington
- The San Francisco Entertainment Commission
