AUGUSTA, Ga () – Sunday is National Overdose Awareness Day and several organizations came together Saturday offering recovery resources.
Open Arms Outreach Augusta was actively distributing critical supplies like free Narcan, Fentanyl test strips, and other essential items at Washington Rd. and the Kroc Center.
They will also help people get insurance, and into treatment or rehab.
An official with Open Arms Outreach Augusta tells me they recently partnered with Good Neighbor Ministries and are officially a non-profit.
This means they are able to apply for grants so they can pay for people to get into treatment facilities.
“Both Dolly and I, Co-Founders of Open Arms Outreach, are women in long-term recovery. We’ve experienced what these individuals are going through and recognize that society might dismiss them. However, when someone shows love and says, ‘We haven’t given up on you,’ it sparks a glimmer of hope,” shared Nicoll Gentry, Co-Founder of Open Arms Outreach Augusta.
In Flight Missions also taking part in the event by handing out free hamburgers, drinks, snacks and t-shirts.
The Co-Founder of In Flight Missions, Gary Caudill, tells me that their services are available to anyone who needs them.
“Regardless of their struggles, whether they’re seeking housing or facing another challenge, people can visit our website at inflightmissions.org and submit a help request. We make every effort to assist or connect them with resources that can,” Caudill explained.
Joining forces with Open Arms Outreach Augusta, the founders of Ready or Not Ministries offered clothing, free shower vouchers, and additional resources at the Kroc Center.
They say they this is personal for them to be out in the community helping those in need.
“Having overcome addiction, homelessness, and mental health challenges ourselves, we’re now liberated through Jesus Christ’s grace. Today, we’re here to give back to the community,” expressed Myles Lance, Founder of Ready or Not Ministries.
Toni Tompkins, another Founder of Ready or Not Ministries, added, “During my homelessness, many people supported and invested in me, planting seeds that I only recognized years later when I surrendered to Christ. They were a purposeful part of my journey, and now I aspire to be that support for others as they navigate their paths.”
If you or someone you know is interested in speaking with Open Arms Outreach Augusta, you can contact them through email at narcan.augusta@gmail.com or follow them on Facebook at Open Arms Outreach Augusta.
