In loving memory
OUR MISSION
The Chris Atwood Foundation mission is to save lives from opioid overdose, support recovery from substance use disorder, and defeat the stigma of this treatable brain disease.
OUR VISION
To create communities where substance use disorder is recognized as a preventable and treatable disease so that people who suffer from it can experience the love, understanding, and support needed to live full lives in recovery.
ABOUT THE CAF
The Chris Atwood Foundation began in 2013 after the Atwood family lost their son and brother, Chris, to an accidentally fatal heroin overdose. He passed away at age 21, following a 6 year battle with addiction. The CAF is a 501(c)3 charitable organization that strengthens the addiction recovery movement through education, stigma reduction, and free recovery support services. We do this through:
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Educating the public about the disease of addiction
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Training the public how to administer naloxone to reverse an opioid overdose
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Increasing public access to recovery and harm reduction resources
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Supporting recovery communities on college campuses
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Stigma-reducing educational presentations
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Scholarships to local Recovery Houses
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Advocating for public policy changes that promote recovery
CHRIS' STORY
Chris Atwood was one hell of a guy. As a young child he was sensitive and deep, always looking for ways to help his family. As he matured he grew a zany sense of humor, able to make anyone around him laugh. Laughter was his medicine and he shared it with everyone, but it was also a mask, under which he hid deep pain.
He had a brilliant mind and intense depth of feeling, so he struggled intellectually and emotionally with the toughest questions in life. He had an uncanny ability to reach people on a deep level and thrived on relationships with others. This made him a great friend and listener, but his empathy for others also enhanced his profound sensitivity to the pain in this world. That, coupled with newly developing depression and anxiety, left him struggling to cope with his emotions. He discovered that self-medication helped him feel better, and when an older boy introduced him to heroin at the age of 15 he was instantly hooked.
