Honoring International Overdose Awareness Day — A Time to Remember,Reflect, and Respond

Each year on August 31, communities around the world come together to observe

International Overdose Awareness Day — a day of remembrance, compassion, and

collective action.

At Flourishing Minds Wellness Center, we pause to honor every life lost to overdose

and every family forever changed by substance use. Behind every statistic is a name, a

story, and a person who mattered deeply.

Understanding the Crisis

Addiction affects people of all ages, backgrounds, and neighborhoods — including our

own. The rise in fentanyl-related deaths and unintentional overdoses continues to

impact families across Maryland. Awareness is the first step toward prevention.

Our Role in the Response

Flourishing Minds is proud to be a Certified Opioid Response Program, offering support,

education, and treatment resources to individuals and families. Through our recovery

housing, peer support, and outpatient services, we help people rebuild their lives with

dignity and purpose

We also provide Narcan training and education to help community members save lives.

Every person deserves a chance to recover and flourish.

How You Can Get Involved

• Learn to recognize the signs of overdose

• Carry Narcan and encourage others to do the same

• Speak openly about addiction and recovery

• Light a candle in memory of loved ones lost

Together, we can reduce stigma, spread hope, and create safer, more compassionate

communities.