I Choose To the Change the Water.

I am the mother of a heroin addict, who for the past eight years has been in and out of schools, rehabs, jail and prison. Because I am unable to help someone not willing to receive the assistance, I started an online closed Facebook group, entitled, “There is No Hero in Heroin”. The group was conceived on 1/12/12 and by the 31st of the month membership reached 100. In February we incorporated and June of 2012 we received our 501©3, officially becoming, “There is No Hero in Heroin Foundation, INC” (TINHIHFoundation)
We, a group of family and friends of addicts, or addicts in recovery, joked about celebrating the milestone. I suggested we release one black balloon for every year our loved one has been lost to addiction (using). I created and posted an event page, and it went viral. Not only did we have requests for host events as far away as South Africa, Canada, British Columbia, England, Italy and all over the United States, we had individuals posting their anticipated participation in the privacy of their own yards.
As attendance around the world grew, and suggestions poured in, I added the release of red balloons for loved ones who lost their battle with addiction (OD) and white ones for those who have overcome addiction (Sobriety).
Because the event has developed so great a following, I have already formed a committee to create an annual event. If I can indulge you to explain what this event means to families of addicts, here is a comment left on the event page:
“My 18 year old son Steven died 1/12/10 from an accidental overdose of oxycontin and his birthday is on 2/14/96 so this is the perfect way to spend the day before his birthday.”

This event is to create solidarity, a feeling of not being alone, and a
chance to forget the helplessness and truly cling to hope, even just
for today.
The Mission of the There is No Hero in Heroin foundation is to promote awareness, educate the public and encourage those struggling with addiction and those who love them. We are dedicated to raising the curtain on the epidemic of drug addiction in our schools, the scarcity of rehabilitation programs, and the need for quality federally and state funded rehab programs and hold drug courts and law enforcement more accountable. There is no hero in heroin, only those who overcome.

Goals:

1. Fundraising to provide scholarships to offset the cost of rehabilitation and family counseling.
2. Provide resource referral assistance nation-wide.
3. To assist in the establishment of local chapter support groups.
4. To organize, plan and hold the worldwide annual Black Monday Event Raising Awareness for Loved Ones Lost to Addiction.
5. Facilitate drug addiction seminars to various interest groups, including religious organizations, addiction recovery groups, and educational facilities.
6. Remain in contact with our legislators and congressmen to lobby for support increased funding for drug courts and quality drug rehabilitation programs.
7. Introduce the concept of Therapeutic Communities to the prison system.

I recently heard the story of a young woman who complained bitterly to her grandmother about the circumstances of her life and how she was powerless to change her circumstances. “I can’t do this, Nana. I can’t handle the situations.”
Her grandmother led her to the kitchen and asked her to sit at the table. Silently, she placed three pots of water on the stove and turned on the burners. In one she put raw carrots, in another eggs and in the third, ground coffee beans.
After the pots boiled for fifteen minutes, she removed them from the heat. She strained the carrots and put them in a bowl. She fished out the eggs and placed them in a bowl. She ladled the coffee ground water into a third bowl.
“What do you see, granddaughter?”
“I don’t know.” She replied.
“Feel the carrots.” When the granddaughter did as she was told the grandmother continued.
“Each of these ingredients met with the same adversity, boiling water. The carrots went in rigid and unyielding, but soon succumbed to the elements and wilted. The egg protected its fragile insides, but gave up under the heat and the center hardened. But the coffee grounds changed the water.”
I want to change the water, and my time is now. Help me raise awareness by supporting There is No Hero in Heroin Foundation. For more information, visit
www.thereisnoheroinheroin.com

We intend to create chapters nationwide.
I also wrote a book about our journey:
There is No Hero in Heroin, by Janice Nargi