4:00pm-8:00pm at Farmingdale State College
(Long Island, NY) Long Island community leaders in the field of substance use and addiction are encouraging both Nassau and Suffolk Counties to collaborate and work together in order to fight the current drug crisis that is plaguing Long Island at devastating rates. Under the leadership of F.I.S.T. (Families in Support of Treatment) a not-for-profit organization founded to advocate for families and promote on demand access to treatment for substance use disorders, community-based organizations, treatment agencies, government, and concerned community members have organized the First Annual Walk for Recovery on August 30, 2015 at Farmingdale State College. The walk will strategically cross into both Nassau and Suffolk County in a unified statement to honor those that have lost their battle to substance use, support those in the fight, and call on those in recovery to share their stories of strength and hope.
Last year on Long Island, 341 individuals lost their life to overdose, a number that doesn’t come close to speaking to the thousands of people affected by this disease every day in both counties. For the past decade, dedicated groups of people have been able to change laws and policies at the state level while simultaneously helping one person at a time access treatment, support services and find recovery from substance use disorders.
As the number of people on Long Island affected by substance use grows each year, so does the number of those joining the fight and advocating for change. Groups such as F.I.S.T., Long Island Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (LICADD), and Long Island Recovery Association (LIRA), have been able to make progress through petitions, letters, visits to Albany and organized events across New York State. This walk will be the first to unite Long Island without borders, and is a first step towards inviting representatives from both counties to initiate a joint effort to implement changes that can help save lives.
The event is free for all to attend and is family friendly. There will be kid-friendly attractions, games, live music, food, a resource fair as well as a full program of speakers. Attendees are encouraged to bring a sign or picture to show support, promote recovery, or honor a loved one. The walk will begin at approximately 4:30pm.
For questions about this event, please contact Anthony Rizzuto, Executive Director and Founder of F.I.S.T. at (516)316-6387 or anthony@fist-familiesinsupportoftreatment.com.
Attendees are asked to please register at: http://events.constantcontacts.com/register/event?llr=pz5gp7iab&oeidk=ebbxyzj30c085570.
