BLACKSBURG, Va. – New River Valley Community Services is launching its new social media campaign to grab the attention of the young adults in our area in hopes of educating them on the dangers of substance abuse.
Hashtag “The Face of Addiction is Mine” is the social media campaign created this summer by, NRVCS as a response to growing concern of drug and alcohol abuse.
Mike Wade, communications and outreach coordinator for New River Valley Community Services, says its goal is to reach the 18-to-25-year-old audience.
“We are trying to reach out to that age group and give them an opportunity to understand addiction better. And to realize that there is not an issue of discrimination when it comes to having a drug problem it can happen to any of us,” said Wade.
For the next five years, NRVCS can use an annual $120,000 grant.
This year, close to $20,000 of it will fund the new campaign.
“We will be doing a lot of community outreach and various events throughout the New River Valley to promote the campaign and engage people in the conversation about addiction, substance abuse disorders,” Wade said.
One event to provide community support is a candlelight vigil at Bisset Park.
It will be held on Aug. 31, International Overdose Awareness Day, to help those who have been impacted by opioid abuse and overdoses.
“We have seen statistically that deaths from overdose have increased in our jurisdictions we are responsible for serving. It’s no longer an issue we can turn a blind eye to,” Wade said.
According to Centers for Disease Control Prevention, opioids killed more than 42,000 people nationwide in 2016 and more than 1,100 of those were in Virginia.
Wade tells 10 News its goal is to be a bridge of hope for the many people who are suffering and get them on the road of recovery.