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Good morning!
I hope this finds you healthy and happy! It's hard to imagine that we're already starting our second Covid-19 school year! I don't recall seeing a national harm reduction and prevention campaign this large since the advent of seat belts and airbags. Let's continue to be safe so we can keep our doors open and prevent the isolation we've all experienced during this pandemic.
Although our in-person events have been limited by COVID-19, The Perfectly Flawed Foundation has done many dynamic things since we've last connected! Our staff has grown, we've added services, expanded office space, and have taken innovative approaches to reach an increasingly isolated population.
Zoom has been our friend. We've built stronger relationships with advocates and educated policy makers. We've advised on several committees and strengthened networks and partnerships on the local, state and federal level.
While the way in which we administer our services hasn't been traditional, we have found a way to continue our work and have identified strategies in which we can serve our peers and communities effectively.
Today marks six years since I decided to start my journey of positive change and checked into a retreat to address my own struggles. In the beginning, Perfectly Flawed was started to change the way we view and treat addiction.
We believe that each individuals path is different and filled with different obstacles. There is not a once sized-fits-all approach to an individuals path to physical, mental and emotional wellness. My goal was and remains to be to inspire others to embrace the idea that happiness can be obtained through our own struggles, mine included. I want to empower people to believe in themselves. I want people struggling to know they are not alone. Never could I have imagined that The Perfectly Flawed Foundation would have a critical role in more than one pandemic, the overdose crisis and the COVID-19 global pandemic.
The Centers for Disease Control data has shown an increase of over 30% increase in overdose deaths nationwide between 2019 and 2020. In 2019, there were roughly 75,000 deaths attributed to overdose. In comparison in 2020, there were roughly 93,000. This year we've prioritized life and taken bolder and more innovative strategies on how we prevent these deaths, save lives and bring awareness to these staggering statistics. LaSalle County is consistently in the top 5 in overdose death rates in the state of Illinois.
In February, as the pandemic raged on, we launched our Mobile Wellness and Support Program which includes mobile tele-health with a local provider! This program has allowed us to change how we deliver our services and to reach more vulnerable members of our community.
Through these services we've been able to put Naloxone into the hands of those who need it most, active users and the people who love them. We have begun to engage with those exiting the criminal justice system and are looking forward to continuing to assist this vulnerable population with the additional risks and obstacles that are unique to them and their families.
We look forward to leaning into the challenges we face and building upon the bricks of the foundation that have been laid. We hope you continue to join us in our mission to strengthen our communities.
People cannot recover, if they are not alive. Thank you for believing in me and believing in our mission.
Respectfully,
Luke M. Tomsha
Executive Director
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Perfectly Flawed Foundation staff CPR training with local paramedic Charlene!
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2021 has proved to be a year of growth and positive change for The Perfectly Flawed Foundation. With the assistance of Business Employment Skills Team (B.E.S.T) Opioid dislocated workers program and our funding partners, we were able to create and sustain several positions. We've added a full-time Program Manager, Care Coordinator, Outreach Specialist and Family Support specialist to grow and support our programs. Our local service delivery now includes the following:
- Peer & Family Support
- Service Navigation & Referral to Treatment
- SMART Recovery Support Groups (every Tuesdays at 6pm)
- SMART Family & Friends Support Group (1st Thursday each month at 6pm - Beginning in October!)
- Transportation Assistance
- Yes4Youth Grants for Family and Youth Enrichment Activities
- Overdose Prevention & Education
- Naloxone Training & Distribution
- Mobile Wellness & Support
- Perfectly Flawed Care Kits including Personal Hygiene and Self Care Items
- HIV/HCV screening and connection to care
- Syringe Services
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The Perfectly Flawed Foundation has a mobile text line that processes 1200+ Individual and Family support messages per month!
We understand people might feel more comfortable reaching out via text. We staff our line to be respond M-F 9am-5pm. We also monitor it after-hours and on weekends. If you'd like to schedule a time to talk, we can do that too. Evening and weekends available by appointment.
Our peers and participants can also sign up to receive occasional uplifting messages to help start their day!
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Mobile Wellness & Support!
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Earlier this year, The Perfectly Flawed Foundation was one of 16 out of 230+ applicants throughout the country selected for a grant to Prevent Overdose and Increase Access to Harm Reduction Services during Covid-19 Pandemic. This grant allowed us to establish a Mobile Wellness & Support program to meet people where they're at and connect individuals to harm reduction, primary and mental health care and evidence-based support for opioid use disorder in our region covering 2000+ square miles!
Our Mobile Unit, nicknamed "Buddy1", is piloted by Lori Brown from Buddy's Purpose. Lori joined The Perfectly Flawed Foundation as a harm reduction outreach worker and family support specialist! She is a leader in bringing awareness to our community and we're excited to have her on our team!
This program is made possible by The National Council of Mental Wellbeing, with support from The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and The Comer Family Foundation.
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The Perfectly Flawed Foundation serves people that are struggling, face multiple or difficult barriers, and may have lost faith in themselves and their path forward. We embrace their challenges and walk alongside them in their effort to make meaningful change in their lives.
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Our Mobile Wellness and Support Team has been busy since launching this February!
129
New individuals & families served
72
COVID-19 Care kits which include over 20 personal hygiene items delivered
738
Dose Narcan distributed in LaSalle, Bureau & Putnam counties
72
Individual ride assistance to treatment, jobs, and support meetings
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Education, Advocacy & Awareness
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Click here to join our "Education, Awareness and Advocacy" Facebook group. We will continue to post relevant information to challenge the way we view and treat substance use and addiction.
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Education
The Perfectly Flawed Foundation is collaborating with IVCC's One Book, One College which selected, "Death in Mud Lick" for their upcoming book. Keep an eye for more information and mark your calendars for September 8th at 6pm. We look forward to providing our thoughts on the book.
Advocacy
We continue to be active in several coalitions, advisories and committees as we shift the paradigm on we treat drug use and addiction.
Below are a few:
Keep an eye out for upcoming improvements to the State Opioid Action Plan (SOAP).
Awareness
Our Executive Director had the opportunity to engage several audiences, including an invitation to to speak to as a keynote at the Overdose Data to Action (OD2A) Recipient Meeting hosted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and The Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO). Nearly 1000 leading health officials across the country tuned in to learn about stigma through education and harm reduction!
Check out some other great upcoming events Perfectly Flawed will be participating below.
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Outreach & Upcoming Events
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August 25-31
Overdose Awareness
Turn your community purple for overdose awareness week. Display purple ribbons and lights in your community or neighborhood in memory of our loved ones gone too soon.
August 21, 11-3 pm CST
Streator Overdose Awareness Walk
City Park, Streator, IL
August 24, 1 pm CST
The National Council of Wellbeing Webinar
"Harm Reduction during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Strategies from the Field
register here
August 28, 10-12 pm CST
Buddy's Purpose 10th Annual Overdose Awareness Walk
Cherry Park, Cherry, IL
August 24-25
Illinois Harm Reduction Summit
https://about.illinoisstate.edu/harmreductionsummit/
register here
August 31, 6-8pm
Overdose Awareness Candlelight vigil
Riverside Park, Pontiac, IL
Sept 8, 6pm
One Book, One College
Discussion on "Death in Mudlick"
https://libguides.ivcc.edu/onebookonecollege
September 17-18
Recover Con
Sauk Valley Community College
Dixon, IL
“Harm Reduction in Recovery - Bridging the Gaps”
Panel discussion with Luke Tomsha (The Perfectly Flawed Foundation) & Chris Schaffner (Jolt Foundation)
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Thank you to our Community Supporters and Funding Partners!
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Check out our community supporters! We are grateful to all who have made our work possible at no cost to those we serve! A special thank you to our 2021 Presenting sponsors The Miller Group Charitable Trust and The Gary and Deb Dahl Charity Fund as well as our Angel Sponsor, St. Margaret's Health. If you or your organization are interested in supporting our cause, please reach out!
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For further information, contact The Perfectly Flawed Foundation directly at 815-830-8675 during normal business hours.
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