Our Work
Understand exactly what it is we do. Our organization's name stems from the lifesaving medication called Naloxone. This is the foundation of our organization, for an addict can only recover if they survive the horrors of addiction. Below are the steps we take to help get addicts off the streets and the drugs.
01
Outreach
Outreach is a big part of what we do. We visit neighbourhoods in Toronto with high rates of drug use and homelessness, including Yonge-Dundas, Dundas-Sherbourne, Queen-Bathurst, and Bathurst-Dundas. We hand out Naloxone kits to prevent death from overdose. We also distribute sterile syringes and crack/meth pipes to prevent the spread of blood-borne infections (HIV, Hepatitis)
02
Addict-to-Addict Assistance
The opposite of addiction is connection. One way to promote this is by recruiting recovering addicts. Through talking to addicts on the street, we found that they have difficulty opening up and listening to people who have never been in their shoes. Social workers and addiction specialists offer professional support however, they often lack real-life experience. Through our Addict-to-Addict program, we can connect addicts on the street with resources, strength and hope. Recovering addicts have been through the shelter system, detox and rehab. They can offer guidance based on their personal experience and we can help get people into detox centers and transitional housing.
03
Awareness
We are a new and very small organization. We do not have any affiliations with any charities or government entities. We do not receive any external support and are supporting ourselves through volunteers who are passionate about our cause. Addiction awareness helps us spread the message of recovery and allows us to recruit more volunteers who have yet to hear about our organization. We do this through social media campaigns, word of mouth and social events. In the future, we hope to host more events and drop-in sessions.
04
Education
What is unique about naloxone is that you do not need any medical training to administer it in Canada. Anyone can use a naloxone kit in an emergency; the only problem is people are often scared because they do not know what to do or what to look for. NaloxAid provides instructions from a certified First Aid Instructor on how to use naloxone and what symptoms to look for. We educate people on naloxone, opioid addiction and addiction recovery.