Help Us Launch a Peer-Led Harm Reduction Program in the Bronx

Eight years ago, I was homeless, sleeping in parks across New York City, and struggling to imagine a path forward. I was living in an incredibly dangerous and uncertain situation, and I didn’t know how I was going to change my life.

What made the difference were low-barrier harm reduction services. People met me where I was, treated me with dignity, and connected me to resources that helped me stay safe and begin rebuilding my future. Those services gave me hope when I had very little left.

Today, because of that support, my life looks completely different. I found stable employment doing work I care deeply about. I moved into safe and secure housing. I built a home, started a family, and surrounded myself with a strong and loving community. None of that would have been possible without the harm reduction programs that were there for me when I needed them most.

Now, I want to give back.

After more than eight years of working and volunteering in harm reduction, I am launching a peer-led, grassroots harm reduction program for the Bronx and surrounding communities to address a critical and growing need for accessible, low-barrier services.

The Bronx remains one of New York City’s most underserved communities when it comes to harm reduction resources. Our program will provide free, anonymous drug checking services and harm reduction resources to anyone who needs them—without judgment, without barriers, and at no cost. Ultimately we believe that everyone deserves access to information and services that can help them make safer, educated decisions, without price barriers or judgement. This program can be the key to reducing overdose rates and lowering the risks associated with an unregulated drug supply.

An increasingly unpredictable drug supply is driving up overdose rates every single day. By providing low barrier and judgment free drug checking services along with harm reduction support, we can empower people to make informed decisions and save lives.

This program is vital to protecting the Bronx and the broader NYC community:

* Real Time Protection: Utilizing advanced technology lets us identify dangerous adulterants and emerging market trends early, allowing us to launch rapid community alerts and targeted risk reduction strategies before threats spread.

* System Wide Support: By monitoring the supply, we strengthen the public health response and arm healthcare providers and families with life saving data.

* Peer Led Trust: Harm reduction was built by people with lived experience, and we believe those voices should remain at the center of this work. Our program will be designed, operated, and led by peers who are deeply connected to the communities we serve throughout the Bronx and across New York City. We know that trust, compassion, and shared experience can open doors that traditional systems often cannot.

Access to life-saving information is a right, not a privilege. Together, we can get ahead of the crisis and protect our community.

Early detection of changes in the drug supply helps protect not only people who use drugs, but also families, and the broader community. With this program we will be able to support service providers, assist healthcare providers, and strengthen public health responses throughout the Bronx and beyond.

As a new, independent, peer-led organization, we need your support to get started and get our program off the ground.

Funds raised through this campaign will support essential startup costs, including:

• Drug-checking equipment, including an FTIR spectrometer

• Software and data management tools

• Test strips and harm reduction supplies

• Outreach and educational materials

• Office and operational expenses

• Community engagement and peer support activities

Every contribution, regardless of size, brings us one step closer to providing lifesaving services to people who need them most.

This project is much more than a professional goal for me—it is deeply personal. Harm reduction helped save my life. It gave me a chance when I needed one. It helped me move from homelessness and instability to a life filled with safety, purpose, family, and hope.

My dream is to create a program that offers that same hope to others.

When you donate, you’re not just funding equipment or supplies. You’re supporting a program that prioritizes evidence-based care, individual dignity, and community driven resources. You’re supporting building a stronger, safer, and more compassionate community. A program that works to keep our neighbors alive and connected to care.

Together, we can expand access to lifesaving services, reduce preventable harm, and ensure people have the resources they need to create a healthier, safer community for everyone.

Thank you for believing in this mission and for helping us create meaningful change.