The Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office is hosting a Candlelight Vigil in recognition of International Overdose Awareness Month on Thursday, August 24, 2023. The event is being organized in conjunction with the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office Operation Helping Hand to end the stigma associated with overdose deaths, provide addiction and recovery resources to the community, and increase awareness of the impacts of the opioid epidemic.
The event begins at 6 p.m. at West Hudson Park in Kearny – in the area of Schuyler Avenue and Woodlawn Drive – with a speaking program by representatives of the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, RWJ Barnabas Health Peer Recovery, North Jersey Health and Wellness, victim survivors, and others. The program will end with a candlelight vigil, moment of silence, and short memorial walk. For over two decades, International Overdose Awareness Day has been observed on August 31. This year’s theme is “Recognizing Those Who Go Unseen.”
“Substance abuse disorders do not discriminate and devastate not only those struggling with addiction, but also their families and loved ones,” said Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez. “Our greatest defense against the opioid epidemic is through education, prevention, and access to lifesaving resources. The Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, in coordination with Operation Helping Hand, is proud to sponsor this program in an effort to make strides in ending the stigma and breaking the cycle of addiction.”
Attendees are encouraged to speak with the community groups that will have resource material available at the end of the vigil including: representatives from the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office/Operation Helping Hand, Hudson Regional Health Commission, New Jersey Department of Health, Hudson County Department of Housing and Community Integration, New Pathway, Governor’s Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, Kearny Department of Public Health, RWJBH Institute for Prevention and Recovery, Endeavor House, Division of Welfare Services, C-Line, Kearny Police Department, Kearny Fire Department, Harrison Police Department, and Kearny Elks 1050.
