Amid governor's shelter-in-place order, Michigan nonprofit will mail you narcan for free

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - A west Michigan nonprofit focused on helping those impacted by the opioid crisis is bolstering up its resources to continue providing help as the coronavirus outbreak spreads across the state.

The Grand Rapids Red Project will mail you Naloxone, also known as narcan, for free.

Even as businesses close and public space is restricted amid the growing pandemic, the number of people addicted to opioids will continue to struggle without the necessary resources to aid in their treatment.

Partnering with NEXT Naloxone, the Red Project has scaled up its distribution program to reach anyone in the state in need of the life-saving drug.

“Michigan has a tremendous opportunity to reduce overdose deaths by promoting syringe service programs and making obtaining life-saving drugs like naloxone easier to obtain for individuals across our state and giving programs the resources they need to realize change,” said Martin Brubaker Salcedo, director of online services at the Red Project.

Salcedo said they always intended on rolling out the program, but not this early. However, following the COVID-19 spread, the nonprofit kicked off the service earlier than expected.

For anyone who wants narcan delivered to their door, they'll need to go to naloxoneforall.org, complete a small online training session, and fill out a form.

One of the hardest-hit states in the country by the opioid epidemic, Michigan was the second state to benefit from a $50 million overdose response initiative donated by Bloomberg Philanthropies.

Some of that money is going to the Red Project's distribution program.