Everett receives $3,200 grant from RIZE Massachusetts

  Everett was recently selected as one of 17 recipients for grant funding from RIZE Massachusetts, an independent nonprofit foundation striving to put an end to the opioid epidemic.

  “Everett will receive $3,200 to pay for harm reduction training for staff and harm reduction supplies including fentanyl test strips, syringes, safer smoking supplies and other items for hygiene and safety kits,” said Alexander Villanueva, spokesman for RIZE Massachusetts.

  Specifically, Mayor Carlo DeMaria said, the funds will be used for the city’s Roadmap to Recovery program. “The $3,200 allowed the city to purchase additional harm reduction materials for our Roadmap to Recovery program,” he said. “We’re grateful that Everett was able to apply for and receive these funds.”

  The grants range from $2,000 to $5,000 and are part of a $75,000 effort. In total, these grants will cover the cost of 650 hygiene kits, 80,000 clean syringes, 1,000 safer smoking kits and 5,000 fentanyl test strips.

  “As the opioid crisis continues, community-based providers are responding to increasing demand for services and they need all of the resources they can get,” said Julie Burns, president and CEO of RIZE Massachusetts. “These frontline grants, and the supplies and trainings they pay for, will help harm reductionists across Massachusetts save lives this winter.”

  Other local grant recipients include the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, Lynn Community Health Center, Rosie’s Place, the Massachusetts Organization for Addiction Recovery and Victory Programs, Inc.