On the eve of losing funding for two harm reduction programs, Réseau ACCESS Network’s peer-engagement team and staff at The Spot, as well as those they support, gathered March 28 to mourn the loss of both programs.
The Spot, Sudbury's supervised consumption site, has been awaiting funding from the province since it began its operations in 2021. While they were able to run on community donations until the end of March, they are now forced to close their doors.
The peer-engagement program, focused on engaging those with lived experience to work with their own community, also had their funds end with the end of March. Kaela Pelland, now former director of the program, told Sudbury.com that in the last 12 months the program has provided education, safety, consultation opportunities as well as work shadowing and employment opportunities to more than 50 people who use drugs.
The gathering was fraught with emotion, hushed tones speaking of impending consequences in a city that already holds the province’s second highest number of deaths due to toxic poisoning.
Pelland spoke to the group through tears as she read For When You Need Validation For Your Anger, by Irish-Indian poet, Nikita Gill.
You are angry and anxious
because you never agreed
to live in a burning home
while the people who should care
pretend it doesn’t exist.
Distress
is a valid emotional response
to injustice.
The room of more than 100 inhaled collectively and audibly, then clapped loudly.
Pelland was among the many staff who spoke to the vulnerable community as friends, crying, sharing inside jokes, and making assurances about the future, as unclear as it is.
As the speeches continued, many people who use Réseau’s services took to the microphone.
Terry L. told the crowd of the day she first arrived at Réseau ACCESS Network. She gave Sudbury.com permission to share her story.
“When I first came through these doors six years ago, I came in broken. I came in and alone and so full of grief and pain, I just wanted to be numb,” she said. “Then I found support, somewhere I felt accepted, understood and valued. It helped me to accept and to understand in a better way the death of my ex-husband and my son to overdose,” said Terry.
She said the community at Réseau, “held me up until I could stand on my own, stand without wanting to double over with grief.”
She spoke of her gratitude, and also reminded the staff of the work they had done.
“Please see just how many lives you've saved. The service you've done for this community is priceless; unfortunately, the powers that be have put a price on it,” said Terry. “Without it (the service), we're left to blow in the wind hoping to land somewhere as safe as here.”
Further testimonials on posters lined the walls, and Myths and Mirrors offered opportunities for grief management through art, which was a well-received resource.
When Amber Fritz, now-former manager of the Spot spoke to the crowd, she did not mince words about why the supervised consumption site was closing.
“It wasn't from lack of trying, it wasn't from lack of fighting, it wasn't from lack of care, it wasn't from lack of love,” she said. “It was the lack of our government giving a sh*t about people who use drugs.”
She first spoke to the former staff members of the Spot.
“We all know the magic that happened in that trailer every day, we know the difference that we've made in people's lives,” she said. “And even though we're shutting down, that doesn't negate any of that; we have done incredible work.”
Fritz said people who use drugs “deserve safety, dignity, and care,” and promised not to give up. “We're not gonna put our tail between our legs and walk away, we're still going to fight,” she said. “But for now, it's taking a bit of a pause.”
Jenny Lamothe covers vulnerable and marginalized populations for Sudbury.com
