Justin Phillips, founder and executive director of Overdose Lifeline, Inc. will discuss the opioid epidemic on May 15 at HNPL–Cicero. (Photo provided)
Hamilton North Pubic Library’s Tuesdays with Friends program once again tackles a tough and relevant social issue: Opioid addiction. Justin Phillips, founder and executive director of Overdose Lifeline, Inc. discusses the opioid epidemic and the chronic disease of addiction at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 15 at HNPL–Cicero. She also will hand out naloxone (Narcan) kits at this event sponsored by Hamilton North Public Library’s Friends of the Library organization.
Her goal for this program is to provide hope and help to those addicted to drugs as well as their loved ones. Phillips provides solid knowledge about the opioid epidemic, its rising overdose rates and proven solutions for individuals and the epidemic. At the current rate of one overdose death every 12 minutes, solutions are crucial.
Sadly, Phillips knows first-hand this statistic. One of her sons died from a heroin overdose in 2013, as did a friend of his. Because of these losses and countless other overdoses, Justin dedicated herself to Overdose Lifeline, Inc. in their memory. She believes that through advocacy and committed grassroots efforts, individuals and groups can impact their communities.
Her outreach and work in this endeavor has gained attention. In 2015, Sen. Joe Donnelly nominated Phillips for the White House ‘Champions of Change’ Recognition, and in 2016 she received the Richard M. Fairbanks Circle of Hope Award from Fairbanks Recovery Center.
Programming through Overdose Lifeline, Inc. focuses on offering hope and help to the addicted and their loved ones through advocacy, education, harm reduction, prevention, resources, and support. Its website is overdose-lifeline.org.
About Tuesdays with Friends
Hamilton North Public Library’s support organization, Friends of the Library, sponsors Tuesdays with Friends the second Tuesday of the month at the Cicero branch of Hamilton North Public Library, 209 W. Brinton St., Cicero. The 501(c)(3) organization meets the third Wednesday of the month.