The Greater Marinette and Menominee YMCA has partnered with the M&M Area Community Foundation (MMACF) to provide a free Safeguarding Our Communities presentation specifically for YMCA members at noon on Friday, April 9th. The program will last approximately one hour. It provides an overview of opioids, discusses what’s happening in our area, demonstrates how to administer Narcan, and highlights the Syringe Service Program run by Public Health. Anyone who attends this training will be eligible to receive a free Personal Medication Lock Box as well as Narcan from the Community Foundation.
YMCA members have two ways to participate in the training: In-person, socially distanced, at the YMCA. The program will be shown on a large screen in the gym. A free lunch will be provided, by the MMACF, to the first 50 in-person participants. Or, people may participate remotely/virtually via the Community Foundation’s GoToMeeting account. All those who are interested in attending, whether in-person or virtually, must register with the YMCA.
2018 data shows that Marinette County has an average of 14.8 deaths per 100,000 residents, which is lower than the Wisconsin average of 22.4 per 100,000. However, Menominee County averages 36.8 overdose deaths per 100,000, which is well above the Michigan average of 26.9. Menominee County has the highest overdose death rate in all the counties reported in the UP.
The Community Foundation applied for and received a $60,000 Harm Reduction Project grant from the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan in collaboration with Vital Strategies, a global public health organization. The MMACF’s efforts are related to community awareness and education about the opioid crisis across Marinette and Menominee Counties.
“We are honored to be one of only ten Community Foundations across Michigan to receive this support,” stated Paula Gruszynski, MMACF Executive Director. “The misuse of, or an addiction to opioids – including prescription pain relievers, heroin, and synthetic opioids such as fentanyl – is an ongoing crisis, here and across the country.”
To learn more about how to host a free, virtual Safeguarding Our Communities educational program for your business or organization, contact MMACF Executive Director Paula Gruszynski at 906-864-3599.
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