CENTENNIAL, Colo. — A lot happens inside the warehouse for Hope Starts Here Food Bank. Fred Wright, director of operations, makes sure they’re stocked with food and that the community has access to those items, including Narcan.
“It’s a terrible situation just not having an option if you’re sitting there watching somebody breathe their last breath,” Wright said. “With Narcan, that last breath can be reversed and the start of a new beginning.”
Narcan is an over-the-counter lifesaving medication that can reverse an opioid overdose. The food bank recently added the medication to its list of items. Like all its items, Narcan is available at no cost.
“The Narcan came up because we were just trying to get a few doses for our first-aid kit, and when we found out the state of Colorado wanted us to be a distributor of it, we thought that it was a natural fit,” Wright said.
The food bank hosted a distribution event in October, and volunteer Kendra Cerda was one of the few who picked up a box of Narcan. She’s been prescribed opioids for medical reasons.
“I think everybody who takes a narcotic should have it in their home just to be safe,” Cerda said. “You never know.”
Wright said he agrees: “Even if you’re on legal drugs, you could overdose, and if you have Narcan, it saves your life.”
He encouraged other Colorado food banks to follow suit to save lives.
Hope Starts Here Food Bank distributes food twice a month by reservation only. Wright said you can contact them anytime if you want to pick up Narcan, no questions asked.
Naloxone is another drug that helps prevent opioid overdose deaths. For details on where to find the life-saving drug, click here.
For information on substance abuse treatment, call The SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357.
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