
ABOUT US
Virginia Harm Reduction Coalition (VHRC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, peer-run organization whose mission is to improve the health of the community it serves by advocating for, developing, and implementing evidence-based solutions to mitigate the adverse effects of drug use.

Our Purpose
We address health inequities faced by people who use drugs (PWUD) by providing outreach to marginalized, stigmatized, and criminalized populations, advocating for health policies that address their specific needs, and collaborating with other agencies to effectively meet those needs.
Our History
In 2018, a group of individuals using drugs joined forces to combat soaring overdose deaths in Southwest Virginia. Fueled by personal losses, they distributed naloxone and supplies from the trunks of their vehicles, aiming to empower, educate, and prevent tragic deaths. This grassroots initiative grew into a comprehensive harm-reduction program under the VA Department of Health.
THE NEED
Roanoke, Virginia was highlighted by Beth Macy in the book-turned-TV series Dopesick. The flood of prescription opioids in the early 2000s, combined with rapidly changing socioeconomic conditions, kicked off cycles of addiction and trauma. As of 2022, Roanoke had a rate of 113 overdoses per 100,000 residents, compared to the state rate of 29 per 100,000 residents [Virginia Dept of Health, Vital Records]. This is 2 fatalities a week, averaged over the year. State averages identify fentanyl as the cause of 80% of these fatalities.
Concurrently, the Roanoke region saw a 54% spike in homelessness in 2023, the highest year-over-year increase in more than a decade, according to a count conducted by the Blue Ridge Interagency Council on Homelessness. Inflation, the expiration of eviction protections and pandemic-related benefits, lack of housing inventory, and rising rental costs created tremendous pressures on low-income populations.
Unhoused populations are particularly vulnerable, with 44% experiencing a mental health disorder and 22% experiencing substance-use disorder. The Virginia Harm Reduction Coalition is uniquely suited to meet these needs, both by addressing the needless loss of life caused by overdoses and providing street outreach to people who are unstably housed, which makes up 75% of our organization's participant base.