JourneyPure Bowling Green places Narcan boxes in the community

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WBKO) - In response to the escalating opioid crisis in the region, JourneyPure Bowling Green has initiated a pioneering project to repurpose old newspaper vending machines into dispensers of life-saving Naloxone, also known as Narcan.

They aim to provide addicts and their families with convenient access to this crucial medication.

“In reality, a lot of the people that need our help never make it through our doors. We want to get out in the community to provide services for those who haven’t made it through our doors yet,” said Office Manager Maddie Clark.

JourneyPure reached out to various organizations and secured Narcan through People Advocating for Recovery, a Louisville-based group. This collaboration underscores the collective effort to make Narcan more accessible.

“Our Peer Support Mandy reached out to the Health Department, to the state, and she found a company People Advocating for Recovery that gave us all this Narcan so that we could put it into the community,” Clark said.

JourneyPure firmly believes that rapid access to Narcan can be the difference between life and death in overdose situations.

“Everybody is not in the final stage of recovery, and people are still using it, so you know we have these boxes in places that people can come, pick up the Narcan, use it if they’re still using and not die,” said Andrew Farris, Case Manager.

To achieve their goal of enhancing Narcan accessibility, JourneyPure sought assistance from local businesses. The Bowling Green Daily News generously donated six old newspaper vending machines, which JourneyPure converted into Narcan dispensers.

“Three of those are actually in the process of getting placed out in the community,” Farris said. “We have one at the 13th Street Clubhouse here in Bowling Green. The next one is going to be going to Allen County.”

The ultimate aim is to make Narcan as accessible as possible. Individuals can easily open these boxes, retrieve a kit, and have the means to potentially save a life.

“If you have a loved one that’s actually in active addiction, you always possibly need a Narcan,” Farris said. “Let’s go to these locations, let’s pick these up, let’s save the lives of our loved ones.”

They hope that these Narcan distribution boxes will make a significant impact in the ongoing battle against opioid overdoses in the region.

As they continue to place these life-saving resources within the community, JourneyPure will update the locations of the boxes on their Facebook page.

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