Hope Alliance seeks new office

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Jan 13, 2020 at 5:22 PM

ASHEBORO — The Asheboro based nonprofit Community Hope Alliance is looking for a new location after being asked to vacate its current office and meeting space, located at 1406 N. Fayetteville St., Asheboro.

In April of 2017, Link, whose son has a substance use disorder, visited Urban Survivors Union in Greensboro. There, she learned about harm reduction — strategies that can help reduce the risk of harm brought about by drug use, whether it be the spread of diseases through sharing needles or prevention of an overdose.

Link began providing her son and his friends with clean needles. They were not ready to quit using, but she was going to do what she could to keep them alive in the meantime.

Her actions led to the formation of the first Syringe Exchange Program (SEP) in Randolph County, and to the creation of Community Hope Alliance (CHA). The nonprofit’s mission is to provide resources and promote substance abuse education, awareness, prevention and safety.

It was challenging for Link to operate the nonprofit without a fixed location for people to come for sterile supplies and to return used needles, she said.

Over the summer of 2019, that changed when Link was offered the location on North Fayetteville Street, rent free. With a place to conduct business, CHA was able to reach more people, provide a safe space for former and active drug users and collect more used needles than ever before, she said.

Link was surprised when she received a call from a property manager at Schwarz Properties last week, telling her that they needed to be out of the building by the end of the month.

“I asked him why and he said it was just an upper management decision. I was kind of in shock.”

Since then, Link has reached back out to Schwarz Properties to try and better understand why they are being asked to leave, but she has been unable to find out any additional details, other than it being “an upper management, family decision.”

“They had offered it to us,” Link said. “We did not ask them for this. They knew exactly what we did. This woman that I spoke with that took care of us, she was a very big supporter of us. I don’t know what happened.”

Though Schwarz Properties denied receiving any calls or complaints, Link speculates that the decision might have stemmed from negative comments being shared with Schwarz Properties about CHA. Despite having a large group of supporters, there are plenty of opponents of Syringe Exchange Programs — people that consider SEPs to be “enabling.”

Among those who don’t approve of CHA is Eric Hicks, who runs the popular Facebook page “Randolph County Crime and News” which has over 17,000 members. Hicks often voices his opinion of the work CHA does on Facebook, describing their work as “enabling” addicts.

“I can’t say that Eric Hicks and his Facebook stuff has anything to do with this. I can only assume,” said Link.

Schwarz Properties did not respond for comment.

Proof in the numbers

Link said she will continue the work of CHA with or without an office and meeting space, and with or without support from certain people in the community. She knows there are individuals who would not be alive today without CHA.

She believes the nonprofit’s impact can be seen in the recent year-end overdose data report.

An estimated 664 overdoses were reported in Randolph in 2019. Of those, 36 were fatal, according to the data collected by Randolph County Emergency Services Chief Donovan Davis.

The total number of fatal overdoses is just slightly lower than the 37 deaths reported in 2018, but the total number of overdoses jumped by more than 200, rising from 445 in 2018.

Despite a significant increase in the number of overdoses, deaths did not increase. Different arguments can be made as to why, but many note Narcan, the overdose reversal medication, as a significant factor.

In August of 2019, a month when there were no fatal overdoses in Randolph County, Davis noted that, “It could be a fluke or it could be because more Naloxone/Narcan kits are available to the public.”

With every syringe CHA hands out, they also hand out Narcan.

In 2019, 570 overdose reversals using Narcan distributed by CHA were reported to Link. Those are only the ones Link has heard about. The number is likely much higher.

Without a place where people can come and pick up Narcan and sterile needles, it’s harder to get those life-saving supplies in people’s hands, she said.

It’s also less likely for those who use needles to easily return them to Link.

In 2018, before Link had an office, around 500 used needles were returned to her. In 2019, of the 65,310 distributed, 20,000 were returned. 19,000 of those returns were made after the office opened.

Personal testimonies

When Amber Shove got in a car wreck and was injured around 2014, she was prescribed opiates that led her into a world of addiction. She’d never done drugs before, but said that within weeks, she was hooked.

“My life spiraled from there,” Shove said. She lost her home and her business. Her kids went to live with her parents.

It took years for her to get clean, and she credits getting there to Link and CHA.

“I did not know all that addiction entailed. The work she does is so important to people like me.”

Shove explained that Link’s compassion and approach to people in active addiction was and continues to be a source of hope and encouragement for her and so many others.

“For me, (CHA) has been super helpful and has helped me set my life back on track.”

It’s not only those who have used or are using drugs that have been impacted by CHA. The family members of so many people with substance use problems also rely on Link.

Jim Young’s son has been on and off drugs for about ten years.

Young said Link has been working with his son for many of those years. Not long ago, Young’s son was arrested and went to jail for a few months. During that time, Young cleaned out his son’s house, throwing away anything having to do with drug use. When Young came across the Narcan that Link had given him, he hesitated.

“Something told me not to throw those away.”

His son was released from jail and Young took him back to the house he’d cleaned out. Before leaving to head to a rehab, Young’s son stepped into the bathroom to take a shower.

“He had apparently snuck some drugs in,” said Young. “He overdosed.”

When Young got the bathroom door open, he found his son on the floor. He checked — there was no heartbeat.

He immediately began CPR and then remembered the Narcan he kept.

It took two doses. Young’s son briefly came back around after the first dose, but then went unconscious again. It wasn’t until police arrived and took over CPR that his son fully regained consciousness.

Today, Young’s son is in voluntary treatment.

That wasn’t the first time that his son overdosed. It was one of twelve. Each time, the Narcan used to revive him was from Link.

“He would not be here without Kelly.”

There are several others who credit their recovery or a family member’s survival to Link and CHA.

“We have so many people who depend on us for support and simply a conversation in a judgment-free location,” said Link. “People who use drugs deserve to live and deserve to be treated as human. They do not lose human rights just because they are in the middle of an addiction.”

The outpouring of support from those in the community who do support CHA has been great, Link says.

“People are understanding that what we do is not enabling. They are going to use regardless of whether they have a sterile needle or not, whether they have Narcan or not. We just need to keep them alive and as healthy as possible until they decide that they are ready for a new path. I don’t understand what is wrong with that. I don’t understand what is wrong with saving lives.”

An opponent’s viewpoint

When Hicks, who ran against Greg Seabolt for sheriff unsuccessfully in 2016, was asked to share his thoughts about the group, he noted that research shows programs like these operated by nonprofits do not have a dedicated, qualified staff.

"I want (the) concerned citizen(s) of Randolph County to know why I'm against the needle exchange program, it is not about hating addicts. Concerned citizens believe this program needs to be changed for the good of the addict & community, not to hurt anyone!“

He listed several concerns.

My concerns :

“1st is in 2017 & 2018 this program gave away 3,500 needles, or so previous articles states in the Courier Tribune, but CHA data sheet states they gave out 65,000 in our small community in 2019. What a huge increase in a year. So those receiving free needles are getting 500-1000 average 2x a week, to one person. That’s a large amount of illegal narcotics use for one person, they would be dead. So now we are enabling them to trade for more drugs, & dealers are selling the filled needles with narcotics. So basically, this has been turned into a way to make money to buy more narcotics. We are not helping anyone by allowing this. The exchange needs to be evaluated and changed to better help addicts.

“The second thing is the 1 for 1 (needle for needle) needs to be phased out, it’s not helping anymore.

“Here is an ‘Idea.’ Instead, I would like to see each person receive a standard amount a week. It should never go over a standard number per week. This way they are less likely to sell their clean needles to the dealers, as many fill them full of narcotics to sell!

“3rd issue, they will tell you they are reducing the spread of AIDS,” he said, then referred to a Vancouver study about syringe exchange programs. “(They) found that although 92 percent of the addicts used its program, 40 percent of H.I.V.-positive addicts had lent their syringes in the previous six months, and 60 percent of H.I.V.-negative addicts had borrowed used syringes in the previous six months.

“Thus, despite the two million needles provided a year, active needle-sharing still occurs, even with constant monitoring of sterile needles, the addict is still at high risk of acquiring AIDS sexually through promiscuity or prostitution. This is not surprising, as addicts often contract H.I.V. through sexual practices like trading sex for drugs or sex for money to purchase drugs. AIDS is most often acquired sexually, and therefore any program that increases community drug use and results in more prostitution will accelerate the spread of AIDS. Also, they claim safe disposal of used needles, but the needles are tossed out of carelessness or the fear of being prosecuted by law enforcement for possessing them.

“4th issue, workers need to have someone standing by in case someone really has had enough & wants help. They say in their Facebook they do this, but is not the truth. In fact, concerned citizens and I have asked this question & they become angry, telling concerned citizens ‘to agree to disagree.’”

Hicks said he would like to see more accountability in the program and observance of current laws.

“What happened to zero tolerance for illegal drugs and ’Just say No’? Law-abiding citizens & businesses of Randolph County are concerned with how bad the drug activity has gotten and the message we are sending is, it’s okay to be a drug addict, just do it safely.”

The future of CHA

While they search for a new office and place to meet, Link plans to continue on with business as usual.

Before learning that they would no longer be allowed to stay on North Fayetteville Street, Link planned an event for Jan. 30.

“It’s for Hepatitis C testing and it’s also a Hepatitis A vaccination.”

Link reached back out to Schwarz Properties and asked that they allow her thirty more days as opposed to requiring her to be out of the building by the end of the month. They agreed.

“I have over 50 people that have signed up to do this. It’s a collaboration between Piedmont Health Services and the Randolph Public Health.”

Link says anybody is welcome to attend the event for testing/a vaccination.

Also in the works is the third annual Community Hope Alliance Unity Dinner.

“It’s on March 7 at the Exchange from 5-8 p.m. We are currently looking for sponsors for this event. Any donations of any size are appreciated. Everyone is welcome.”

The event will feature a dinner, along with stories from people who, much like Young and Shove, have been impacted by CHA.

CHA is also looking to recreate its board of directors, hopefully adding prominent community members to their team.

“Prominent doesn’t mean rich people. We want people that are well known and have connections to other people. We need anybody that is interested to contact us right away.”

Looking ahead, Link knows they need to find another fixed location. In the meantime, she says that they’ll make do.

“As for where we go next, we have a couple of prospects. Both of them are churches. Both of them have shown interest in helping us before.”

Ideally, Link sees CHA having a main office in Asheboro — one that has storage and room for meetings. From there, she would like CHA to have hubs in cities throughout the county — Ramseur, Seagrove, Randleman, Archdale and possibly Liberty.

“That could be a church that we just go into one day a week for a few hours and people come. Even if we could just use their parking lot,” said Link. With the recent donation of a van to CHA, “We can travel and be in a different location each day.”

The goal is distribute more Narcan, sterile supplies and resources across the county. She encourages anyone that has any ideas or churches that are interested in letting CHA set up to get in touch with her.

“Obviously, we could reach so many more people and save so many more lives that way.”

* Anybody looking to get in touch with Link can reach her at Kellyalink@outlook.com or 336-465-1431. Donations to CHA can be made via Paypal.me/CommUNITYHopeAllianc (no “e”).