Start Healing Now

10/24/2026

💊 Today is Drug Take Back Day!

Take a few minutes to clear out unused and expired medications. Safely disposing of them is one simple way we can help protect our loved ones and our communities. 💜

📍 Find a Wisconsin collection site near you and check its hours:
https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/opioids/drug-take-back-day.htm

The countdown is on! Just a few days left until . Are you prepared to join us?
➡ Clear the medicine cabinet of all unused and expired medications – and find a collection site near you: dhs.wisconsin.gov/opioids/drug-take-back-day.htm

10/23/2026

❤️ Red Ribbon Week | October 23–31, 2026

Make a Difference. Be a Hero. Stay Drug Free.

This Red Ribbon Week, Start Healing Now joins communities across the country in raising awareness about substance use prevention and the importance of making healthy, informed choices.

Prevention begins with education, honest conversations, and meaningful connections. It means helping young people understand the risks of substance use, empowering families with knowledge, and creating communities where people feel supported.

❤️ Every conversation matters.
❤️ Every life matters.
❤️ Every opportunity to prevent an overdose matters.

We also recognize the families who have lost loved ones to substance use and those who continue to navigate addiction and recovery. Their stories remind us why this work is so important.

Together, we can raise awareness, reduce stigma, support recovery, and save lives.

Learn more about Red Ribbon Week: www.redribbon.org

10/22/2026

💊

10/21/2026

Naloxone saves lives. There's no evidence that it encourages people to use drugs. Making it available to people who may experience or witness an opioid overdose gives communities a practical tool to respond when every second matters.

10/17/2026

In an overdose emergency, you don’t have to respond perfectly - you just have to respond.

Remember these five simple steps:

CHECK – CALL – GIVE – BREATHE – STAY

☑ Check for responsiveness and normal breathing.
🆘 Call 911.
⚕ Give naloxone.
🫁 Support their breathing.
🚑 Stay with them until help arrives.

Even if you aren’t sure opioids are involved, give naloxone. It will not harm someone if opioids are not present and it could save their life.

Be prepared to act. Be prepared to save a life. ❤️

10/14/2026

Nine years. Nine years of missing you, loving you, and learning to navigate a world that changed forever the day you lost your son. 💜

Today marks nine years since Travis passed away, Forever 24. For our SHN Parent Ambassador, Shari Klessig, this day is more than a date on the calendar. It is a heartbreaking reminder of a loss that never gets easier to carry. The world keeps moving, the years keep passing, but a mother’s love never fades, and neither does the ache of missing her child.

Shari has taken unimaginable heartbreak and turned it into something that matters deeply. Through her dedication to Start Healing Now, she continues to honor Travis’s life by helping others, advocating for recovery, and bringing hope to families and individuals impacted by substance use and overdose. She pours her heart and soul into this mission, ensuring that Travis’s life continues to make a difference in the lives of others.

But behind all that strength, advocacy, and love is a mother who simply misses her son. A mother who would give anything for one more hug, one more conversation, one more moment with Travis.

Shari, I hope you know that Travis’s life continues to shine through the work you do, the people you help, and the hope you bring to others. His name matters. His story matters. His life matters. And the love you carry for him is evident in everything you do.

Today, we remember Travis. We honor his life, acknowledge the tremendous loss of his absence, and hold you close in our hearts as you navigate another year without him.
Nine years without Travis, but a lifetime of loving him. May you feel surrounded by love today and always, and may you find comfort in knowing that his legacy continues to touch lives in ways you may never fully see.

Forever loved. Forever missed. Forever Travis. 💜🕊️

10/14/2026

Thank you for installing Overdose Aid Kit - OAKs in your community, William’s House of Hope as part of the Wisconsin Recovery Alignment State Tour!

ANTIGO — The Wisconsin Recovery Alignment Tour recently made a special stop in Antigo at William’s House of Hope’s thrift store, Thrift for Hope.

10/13/2026

💜 “I Learned to Love from He**in”

During Wisconsin Recovery Alignment Day at the State Capitol in Madison, Alex shared a powerful poem titled I Learned to Love from He**in, also the title of his book.

His words are a reminder of the pain, hope, and healing that can be part of the journey through addiction and recovery.

We are so proud of Alex and his recovery journey, and grateful for his friendship and willingness to share his story with others. Thank you, Alex, for reminding us of the power of hope, healing, and connection. 💜

10/12/2026

Our October newsletter is here! 💜

This month, we’re looking back at the Wisconsin Recovery Alignment Tour. Over 620 miles, the tour brought people together in Madison, Eau Claire, Stevens Point, Appleton, Milwaukee, and a bonus stop in Antigo to share stories, connect with resources, and keep recovery and overdose prevention in the conversation.

Start Healing Now traveled with Helios Heuristic to every stop to share overdose response education, encourage people to carry naloxone, and distribute Overdose Aid Kit - OAKs (thanks to Rogers Behavioral Health) to help community organizations be ready to respond. The tour is over, but the work continues—and every conversation, connection, and kit helps carry the message forward.

Our newsletter also includes photos from the tour, new O.A.K. placements, and a story about how an “I Carry Narcan” sticker sparked a meaningful conversation.

Watch our reels from each tour stop right here on our page, and on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/starthealingnow2022/

Learn more about Start Healing Now at https://starthealingnow.org/

10/11/2026

Mark your calendars! 🗓️

It’s that time. Tidy up your medicine cabinet, protect the people around you, and safeguard the environment – all at the same time. On Saturday, October 24, you can dispose of your unused and expired medications at more than 100 collection sites statewide.
➡ Find a site near you: dhs.wisconsin.gov/opioids/drug-take-back-day.htm