The Great Lakes Bay Region chapter of Face Addiction Now was founded in October 2017 by community members from Bay, Midland, and Saginaw counties to address the growing challenges posed by opioid misuse in the local area.

On December 28, 2016, local news reported, "EMS crews in Bay County see 27 overdoses in 27 days." At that moment, co-founder Lori Ziolkowski, whose daughter was affected by substance use, realized her family was not alone. She began researching organizations working to combat the opioid crisis and connected with Katie Donovan from FAN Macomb. During this time, Judge Harry Gill, who oversees the drug treatment court in Bay County, witnessed the epidemic’s impact on the community. After hearing Judge Linda Davis speak, Judge Gill reached out to Phil Pavona from Ingham County FAN.

Lori and Judge Gill connected and, together, they formed an executive board consisting of law enforcement, treatment professionals, and families directly affected by substance use.

Our monthly FAN Forums are designed to educate the community about substance use, reduce stigma, and provide a welcoming environment for support. Additionally, we offer free Narcan training, including Narcan for attendees to take home, as part of our effort to reduce overdose deaths. The community quickly embraced FAN’s work, and local law enforcement was introduced to the idea of launching Hope Not Handcuffs to help individuals access treatment.

On July 24, 2018, eight law enforcement agencies across the region launched the program. Within five months, local educational institutions joined the effort, and Hope Not Handcuffs assisted 49 individuals into treatment in its first seven months. We continue to explore innovative solutions to support those impacted by addiction and work towards ending the opioid crisis.