At Safe & Sound, we recognize drug prevention as a leading priority in the neighborhoods we serve across both Milwaukee and Racine. It’s real. It’s local. It’s deeply personal. Adult residents and especially our young people continue to witness the harm caused when drug misuse becomes the way to cope with challenges, trauma, or simply the weight of hopelessness.
We cannot accept this as the norm.
I don’t want to see another parent bury their child. I don’t want another family to have to say goodbye because of an accidental overdose. I don’t want another young person to think that drugs are their only way to escape. And I certainly don’t want our communities to feel like this crisis is too big, too far gone, or too complex to fix, because it’s not.
Despite the weight of these losses, I believe in the power of collective impact. I believe in the power of prevention. And I believe that together, we can reduce and one day, eradicate overdoses in our communities.
At Safe & Sound, prevention is not just a program, it's a promise. Every year, we partner with local law enforcement to host biannual Drug Take Back Days in April and October. These events offer residents a safe, anonymous way to dispose of unused or expired medications and together, we collect over 100 pounds of drugs each time. That’s 100+ pounds of substances not ending up in the wrong hands or harming our youth.
But our efforts don’t stop there. We educate community members on safe medication storage through the use of med lock boxes, helping families keep their homes safer. And we bring drug prevention education directly to students in grades 2 through 12 in schools, in youth-serving agencies and church youth ministries. Because prevention starts with knowledge, and knowledge saves lives.
To the residents of Milwaukee and Racine: your voice, your advocacy, and your participation matter. You are part of the solution. Every cabinet you clean out, every young person you uplift, every neighbor you support … it all counts.
On this International Overdose Awareness Day, let us reflect, remember, and recommit to creating safer, healthier neighborhoods.
Bridget Whitaker Executive Director, Safe & Sound
