Sudbury's Go-Give Project launching new pilot program in Timmins

A Sudbury-based charity and outreach program is launching a pilot project in Timmins next week.

Officials with the Go-Give Project Mobile Outreach told CTV News they are partnering with Do It Yourself Community Health in Timmins to offer after-hour care for people living with substance abuse issues.

They will be out in the community offering harm reduction, naloxone kits, first aid resources and nutrition.

Officials said the hope is to identify gaps in resources at nighttime.

“Nighttime is a time when people do tend to use more. Daytime is usually spent trying to acquire what will be used at nighttime,” said Ali Farooq, the project’s program manager.

“You know just to have that presence in cases of overdose response or for first aid or just a presence in general so people do feel they are being supervised and are secure.”

• Download our app to get local alerts on your device
• Get the latest local updates right to your inbox

Founded in Greater Sudbury in 2020 the non-profit’s mission has been to ensure that those who are suffering from substance use disorders in the community receive the education and supplies they need to remain safe. The group performs wellness checks, provides first aid and overdose response, harm reduction education, patient advocacy and offers nutrition and seasonal supplies to those experiencing homelessness.

The team in Sudbury operates seven nights a week from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.

“In the north in particular, we have noted that there is a very large gap in after-hour services,” said Evie Ali, the project’s executive director.

“Often times most resources are closing anywhere from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. in most northern communities – which leaves a lot of our friends that are suffering from substance use and or related disorders without any harm reduction or after-hours care.”

Officials with the project said they hope to do work in other northern communities to identify those gaps.

For more information on the Go-Give Project and its activities, visit their Facebook page.

Exciting news! Sudbury and Timmins are teaming up to make a positive impact on Northern communities! The Go-Give...

Posted by The Go-Give Project on Friday, 10 March 2023