We’re back with August’s recap. Thanks to all of our collaborators and team members for their consistent and considerable effort to bring services and resources to the county and individuals and families who need it.
If you know someone in Essex County who needs recovery support or services, or a family member who needs help supporting a loved one, please reach out to us at 978-961-7388.
RESOURCES AND SERVICES DATA AUGUST 2025
ECO joined forces with local police departments and other community partners this month to bring services and resources to Essex County residents, housed and unhoused. Here are some numbers from our activity in August of 2025.
Rides provided: 19
For clients who are not able to access services and resources due to transportation barriers, ECO provides rides to destinations such as detox, IP/OP treatment, clinics, AA/NA meetings, the hospital, court, doctor’s appointments, and other recovery-related appointments.
If you would like to apply for a ride voucher, please request an application through our contact form or get in touch with one of our Recovery Coaches.
Scholarships provided in 2025: 70
As of this month, ECO has provided 70 unique individuals with sober living scholarships, totaling $35,250 in awarded funds. We want to thank our sober home partners for all of the work they do creating a safe and sober space for those who need it.
Outreaches conducted: 179
ECO conducts outreaches in person, alongside police officers, at shelters, on the street, in the community, at community events, through service projects, etc.
Clients who accepted services: 136
Out of 179 physical outreaches conducted in the month of August, 136 clients accepted services. This does not account for the number of individuals who initially decline services, but circle back weeks or months later to connect and get support.
Follow-ups/client engagements: 505
After an initial outreach, ECO follows up to engage with clients and ensures they are properly connected to services and resources. It is our hope that clients will utilize ECO Recovery Coaches long-term; in many cases, this happens. Due to the hard work of our team and collaborative efforts, we consistently have high numbers of follow-ups and engagements. Please note, this number includes each unique engagement had with clients.
Please note that the data presented represents estimates intended to provide a general snapshot and may not account for all activity.
AUGUST EVENT HIGHLIGHTS
ECO had an extremely busy month of events in August, and we are grateful for the many opportunities to connect with local police departments, community partners, and residents. Together, we celebrated recovery, honored the lives of those we’ve lost, and shared resources and information with those in need of support.
What you’ll see below are just a few highlights from the month. There’s much more we’ve been up to! For additional events, updates, and news, be sure to visit our Facebook page.
Amesbury, Salisbury, and Lawrence Nights Out | August 5th, 2025
Essex County Outreach was grateful to attend three National Night Out events last month. We had coaches and team members in Amesbury, Salisbury, and Lawrence.
These local community policing awareness-raising events are designed to strengthen the bond between law enforcement and the communities they serve. Neighbors, families, friends, and officers, as well as resources like ECO, were able to come together in August for open dialogue, trust-building, and mutual understanding.
Beyond offering food, music, and family-friendly activities, these events also focused on sharing important safety information, highlighting local resources, and encouraging crime prevention through community partnerships.
ECO was proud to be part of an effort to foster unity and connection, reduce barriers, ease fears, and remind everyone that public safety is most effective when it is built on collaboration.
Gloucester, Amesbury, and Ipswich Remembrance Flag Ceremonies | August 18th, 27th, 29th, 2025
The last week of August was Overdose Awareness Week, and August 31st was International Overdose Awareness Day. That being so, we were very focused on raising awareness and participating in meaningful remembrance events to honor the lives we’ve lost to substance use and hold space with the many bereaved.
We were grateful and honored to share this time and purpose with community members, friends, family, police officers, and other volunteers who have either lost someone very close to them or allies who support families and loved ones experiencing loss. These flag-posting ceremonies carried a powerful and visible message that words alone cannot always capture. Each flag we planted represented a life lost, a family changed forever, and a community impacted by the ongoing crisis.
As we filled these public spaces with rows of flags, they transformed grief into a collective act of remembrance and education. This visual display not only honors those who have passed but also opens important conversations about prevention, recovery, and the urgent need for compassion in addressing substance use.
For families and community members, this flag-posting offered a way to publicly acknowledge their loss and their hope, while reminding others that behind every statistic is a loved one whose life mattered deeply. ECO hopes that, by making the invisible visible through these flag-planting ceremonies, these flags stand as a call to action to challenge stigma, promote awareness, and reinforce the belief that every life is worth saving.
Salem Police Overdose Awareness Walk | Salem, MA | August 29th, 2025
This month’s OD awareness walk with Salem Police Department brought community members, families, and advocates together in a powerful show of unity and remembrance. Participants gathered to honor the lives lost to overdose, support those still struggling, and celebrate the hope of recovery. Officers joined hands with residents to demonstrate that healing and prevention are possible when the entire community works together. Walking side by side with Salem PD, the event highlighted the importance of partnership between law enforcement and the community in addressing the overdose crisis with compassion, understanding, and action.
The walk not only raised awareness about the impact of overdose but also created space for connection, conversation, and healing. By coming together in solidarity, Salem PD and the community sent a clear message: stigma has no place here, and hope and recovery remain within reach for all.
Essex County Remembers | Danvers, MA | August 30th, 2025
The day before International Overdose Awareness Day, Essex County Outreach hosted a special remembrance event, Essex County Remembers, alongside our amazing co-hosts and community partners. We have so many people to thank for this memorable and meaningful afternoon. To those no longer with us, we carry your memory forward as we continue the fight against this disease with everything we have.
At ECR, we hosted a select few grief resources (namely, The Sun Will Rise, SADOD, and Learn to Cope), as well as other recovery support services and organizations (Power Forward and CORE). Guests attending could connect with resources in the barn and right outside of the barn while enjoying great live music by Jesus Hippie, a band led by RHS alum Joey Torsney.
Memorial and tribute activities gave guests meaningful ways to honor their loved ones. A heart bank memorial, tribute wall, and river rock engraving station invited personal expressions of remembrance, reflection, and healing.
Across from the barn, Minis with a Mission brought joy and comfort as guests connected with their gentle therapy donkeys. This was an unforgettable highlight of the evening.
Meanwhile, the aroma of fresh food filled the air as our Recovery Coach Supervisor, Steve Heald, worked the grill with heart and humor, joined by several ECO Recovery Coaches who made sure everyone felt welcome and cared for.
The evening came to a powerful close with an inspiring share from Miriah Corso. Her story, which was woven with love, remembrance, grief, hope, and the courage to “receive,” was a moving reminder of the resilience of the human spirit and the strength found in community.
We’d like to extend our heartfelt thanks again to the people and organizations who helped make ECR possible:
Redemption House – Proctor Farm, SADOD, The Sun Will Rise Foundation, Inc., Minis With A Mission, Tara Briggs Yoga, CORE Peer Recovery & Resource Center, TBV, Power Forward, Jesus Hippie with Joey Torsney, “Growth” artists Bree and Erin Nichols, Salerno’s Pizzeria & Sports Bar, Prince Pizzeria, and Stephy’s Kitchen.