Today we’d like to introduce you to Em Gray
Hi Em, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
By placing four zero-barrier vending machines full of Narcan outside of host-businesses, and bringing outreach initiatives to high risk areas of town weekly, N.I.C.E. is ensuring that everyone sees themselves as carriers of naloxone and harm reduction supplies. Distribution of these supplies and education needs an update in response to the increasingly unpredictable street drug supply. Drug War-driven stigma and a new face of unknowing opioid users demands a new distribution model that’s more accessible, anonymous, and not weighed down by the language of substance use disorder. Narcan and education around opioid overdose can be useful in the hands and heads of every person. By incorporating those with lived experience in the implementation, N.I.C.E. Project has built trust and reliable services to the community and will be a great partner for this project.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No, we’ve learned a lot along the way. We had purchased some vending machines that wouldn’t dispense for free, so we took out all the electrical components, programmed some new ones, and put it in there to run the type of program we needed. We also learned some weatherization tips the hard way with the machines.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
The mission of the N.I.C.E. Project uses people with lived experience in order to make life-saving supplies, education, and resources more accessible to diverse and underserved populations. The N.I.C.E. Project has worked to reduce barriers to accessible and effective care for the Austin community through the distribution of naloxone for reducing risk of fatal overdose, as well as sterile supplies to reduce the transmission of HIV/HCV and promote safer routes of administration. Through the distribution of supplies and from their own experience, N.I.C.E. has witnessed and understands the enormous needs of unhoused people who use drugs in the community that they provide outreach to. While continuing the naloxone saturation initiative is vital to maintaining the abundance mindset and reliability of access to overdose reversal medication, N.I.C.E. is hoping to grow their community outreach initiatives to the people experiencing homelessness in our reach.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
Seeing my community take care of itself.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://niceprojectatx.com
- Instagram: @niceprojectatx
