2 Out Rally found a meaningful platform within the Western Harnett Youth Recreation Baseball and Softball Spring Opening Day festivities. Collaborating with Western Harnett Youth Recreation enabled us to not only increase awareness but also educate the community, fostering connections with those impacted by the rising fentanyl crisis. The grim loss of 3,062 North Carolinians in 2022, coupled with an average of 8 daily deaths due to fentanyl, highlighted the urgency of the situation. This potent opioid, especially devastating among the young, played a major role in almost two-thirds of all drug-related fatalities, emphasizing the immediate need for intervention.
However, fentanyl is just a fraction of the challenge; the youth faced alarmingly high rates of mental health concerns like depression and anxiety, often leading to isolation and despair, which when coupled with substance abuse, can be even more destructive. Raising awareness emerged as a critical strategy in averting fentanyl-related deaths and providing vital resources and assistance for those grappling with mental health issues. The call to action was clear: together, we must STRIKEOUT fentanyl and orchestrate a powerful RALLY 4 mental health consciousness.