The first of two checks from HarborPath that will sponsor a prevention projects coordinator at Operation UNITE was presented June 21. Pictured, from left, are: UNITE President & CEO Nancy Hale; Patrick Schmidt, founder & CEO of FFF Enterprises, Inc.; Russell Coleman, former U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky; Ken Trogdon, President & CEO of HarborPath; and Darrell Wages, Secretary of the UNITE Board of Directors.

Coordinator will help Kentuckians access overdose reversal drug Naloxone

LONDON, KY  – Operation UNITE will receive funding for a full-time prevention projects coordinator through a sponsorship announced June 21 by Ken Trogdon, CEO of HarborPath, a North Carolina-based non-profit organization.

The multi-year, $60,000 grant will go toward hiring an individual to focus on finding opportunities UNITE can increase access to Naloxone across the 32-county Southern and Eastern Kentucky region it serves, Trogdon told members of the UNITE Board of Directors during its monthly meeting.

Naloxone, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is a life-saving medication that can reverse an overdose from opioids, including heroin, fentanyl, and prescription opioids.

Kentucky has been devastated by the ongoing opioid epidemic, and HarborPath is in a position to help make a difference, Trogdon stated.

“Our organization is committed to helping end the opioid crisis in Kentucky and beyond, and partnering with Operation UNITE is a significant step in that direction. At HarborPath, we work to create solutions with like-minded organizations with a similar mission,” Trogdon said. “By partnering with Operation UNITE, many Kentuckians lives will be saved through this effort given the reach of UNITE’s focus in and surrounding the Fifth Congressional District of Kentucky.”

Operation UNITE President and CEO Nancy Hale said HarborPath’s investment in a prevention projects coordinator is a blessing and will add focus to help the organization more effectively and efficiently combat the destructive impact of the opioid crisis in the Southeastern Kentucky region.

“One thing our organization has needed for a long time in order to better serve Kentuckians, is someone who is on the ground trying to seek innovative ways in which individuals struggling with addiction can access this lifesaving medication,” Hale said. “I am grateful for Ken and HarborPath’s efforts in stepping up and fulfilling this critical need.”

“Our community and nation continue to be ravaged by the negative impacts of the opioid epidemic,” Hale continued. “Fostering strategic partnerships and taking a comprehensive, cohesive approach is one of the main ways we will find our way out of this crisis and save lives.”

Operation UNITE (Unlawful Narcotics Investigations, Treatment and Education) is a non-profit, organized and operated exclusively for educational, civic, and patriotic purposes for the enhancement of society. The organization runs numerous programs and initiatives to prevent substance misuse and abuse and facilitate recovery efforts.

The organization has fostered strong local and strategic partnerships to provide leadership, promote education, coordinate treatment and support law enforcement. To date, Operation UNITE has provided scholarships to 219 graduating high school students seeking higher education through private-sector donations.

About HarborPath

HarborPath is a North Carolina based non-profit organization that provides access to life-saving medications for uninsured people living with chronic illnesses throughout the U.S. Through development of an online portal program, healthcare professionals can apply for multiple medications on behalf of their uninsured patients living with infectious disease, opioid substance abuse and other complex chronic conditions through one single application. Eligibility status is determined immediately, and medications are shipped by our mail order pharmacy within 48 hours of program approval. By providing uninsured individuals with access to medications at no cost, HarborPath is eliminating many barriers to care for the most vulnerable.

Russell Coleman explains the motivation behind the decision to support Operation UNITE. “This is a true partnership,” he said.