WS Chronicle

The Winston-Salem Chronicle

As fentanyl-related overdoses continue to claim lives across North Carolina, a new community-centered initiative taking root in Forsyth County is working to meet the crisis where it lives — in neighborhoods, churches, barbershops, beauty salons, and everyday gathering places.

The Save A Life Campaign, a public health effort led by Healthy Living Solutions, Inc. and SMSi Urban Call Marketing, is mobilizing residents, local leaders, and trusted community institutions to combat the opioid epidemic with education, prevention, and life-saving tools.

The campaign’s launch comes as opioid-related deaths — driven largely by fentanyl — continue to rise nationwide, with Black and Latino communities experiencing some of the steepest increases. According to federal data cited by organizers, opioid-related deaths among Black Americans rose sharply between 2022 and 2023, underscoring long-standing disparities in access to prevention, treatment, and harm-reduction resources.

A Public Health Mission Rooted in Community

Unlike traditional top-down public health campaigns, Save A Life is intentionally grassroots.

The initiative focuses on harm reduction strategies, including overdose prevention education, Narcan distribution, and community training — delivered in familiar, trusted spaces rather than clinical settings alone.

“The goal is simple but urgent,” organizers said in campaign materials. “One informed, prepared person can save a life.”

By partnering with churches, neighborhood organizations, barbershops, beauty salons, and local advocates, the campaign aims to normalize conversations about opioid misuse while reducing stigma around addiction and overdose response.

Leadership with Local and National Reach

The campaign is led by Sandra Miller Jones, founder and CEO of Healthy Living Solutions, and Lafayette Jones, founder and publisher of SMSi Urban Call Marketing. Both leaders bring national experience in public health messaging, community engagement, and culturally responsive outreach.

The pilot phase began in Forsyth County, where organizers say early momentum has shown how trusted messengers and targeted education can close gaps left by traditional systems.

“This is about meeting people where they live, worship, work, and play,” the campaign’s materials note. “That’s how real change happens.”

Building a Coalition to Save Lives

Save A Life has drawn support from a wide network of partners, including Forsyth County officials, public health agencies, faith leaders, and nonprofit organizations such as Forsyth County’s faith-based networks, youth-serving organizations, and community health advocates.

Campaign leaders say Forsyth County is just the beginning. Plans are already underway to expand the model into additional North Carolina communities — and ultimately, statewide and nationally.

Why This Matters Now

Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid up to 50 times stronger than heroin, has transformed the overdose crisis into a fast-moving public health emergency. Even a single pill can be lethal.

For communities that have historically faced barriers to healthcare access, prevention education, and treatment, the consequences have been devastating.

Save A Life’s approach recognizes that solutions must be culturally grounded, locally led, and rooted in trust — particularly in Black communities that have often been left out of policy design and resource allocation.

What Comes Next

Organizers are continuing outreach across Forsyth County, expanding Narcan distribution, training community ambassadors, and strengthening partnerships with local institutions. Additional public education events and neighborhood-based trainings are planned in the coming months.

Residents interested in learning more or getting involved can find information through campaign partners and community hubs participating in the initiative.

As the opioid crisis continues to evolve, Save A Life’s message remains clear: prevention is possible, education saves lives, and community power matters.

One pill can kill. One prepared person can save a life.