As a citizen of a local town that has faced an increasing epidemic in heroin overdoses, I Joanne Meeker would like to start this gofundme in assisting Jim Spellman achieve his financial goals. The aim of his trip hits close to home, as my family recently lost a member to this growing problem/epidemic Jim Spellman has been a vocal critic of how local and federal agencies have treated this crisis. As a former educator of 40 years, I fully support Spellman in this endeavor. Below, he explains his intentions for why it is crucial that he travels to Afghanistan to target the source of the problem, the poppy farms.
Intent and Goals:
If one follows the Heroin Epidemic via the media, what is printed and broadcast focuses on Heroin's results in the USA - addiction, death, associated rise in criminal acts by addicts to support habit, Police response, daily ODs in Emergency Rooms, impact on Families and society, grass roots responses to establish more available Deto/Rehab/Recovery Facilities, and State and Congressional Hearings "studying the problem" - nothing on the known sources of the Heroin, nor a call to eradicate the Heroin at its source....
It is a leap of faith, yet I believe an average American citizen who has seen the Poppy Fields in Afghanistan, spoken to the Farmers who plant, tend, and harvest the Poppy plant secretion that is the Heroin base, affirms this is occuring unabated, and reports back to fellow average citizens can evoke a demand for US Federal action to stop it - I want to be that Average Citizen.
We are currently losing the fight against Heroin - new addicts are created daily - ODs and Deaths rise - there are not enough treatment facilities. Most distressingly follow the Law of Supply and Demand - more addicts daily yet the street price of Heroin has dropped, indicating a abundance of Heroin product - flowing in unabated from Afghanistan. This has to be exposed, publicized, and ended.
At the Micro level I founded the first grass roots response to Heroin, Shine A Light On Heroin, that in turn inspired the creation of other similar organizations - Heroin still flows in. My goal is to move to the Macro level to stop that flow.
I am not a 501c organization, I am an individual who requires financing of $i2,000.00 to go to Afghanistan, obtain validity as a in-person witness, and report out on this obomination to the safety and sanctity of the USA - in doing that, rallying a call to end Heroin from Afghanistan. I am a average, common citizen who says " It must end.".
I respectfully ask for your support. Trust in honesty and full accounting/documentation of expenditures - my intended destination is Afghanistan, not Jail!
Respond to:
Jim Spellman
100 Brook Street
Groton, CT 06340



God Bless All - We Can End Heroin From Afghanistan.