VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – When Deland-based Foundations to Freedom founder Katherine Russell placed two Narcan-dispensing vending machines in Volusia County, she knew people would pick up the free packets.
She just didn’t expect 404 boxes would be dispensed in the last four months.
Purchased through a grant from Volusia County, Russell installed one machine in front of her DeLand recovery residences.
The other was installed at the Grocery Box, a known high-risk overdose location on the county’s east side.
Liz Peterson, Foundations to Freedom Chief Operating Officer, said the machines are visible from the sidewalk, discreet and anonymous.
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“Absolutely no interaction,” Peterson said. “Staff don’t stand out there and make sure someone’s using the Narcan or taking it.”
Peterson said 333 people died in Volusia County in 2024 from opioid overdoses.
But that was less than the previous year, part of a nationwide decline in opioid overdoses, due in part to the availability of the opioid-reversing drug Narcan.
Earlier this year, Central Florida’s Project Opioid, the nonprofit aiming to solve the opioid crisis, said deaths from overdoses dropped by 7.3% across our area over the last year – a “historic” drop. Project Opioid credited the widespread distribution of Narcan.
“We’ve heard that there was at least one reversal from [Narcan] boxes from our [vending machine] distribution,” Peterson said. “And potentially 404 lives that could be saved.”
The machines are powered and refrigerated 24 hours a day and even dispense gloves and a mask.
Every box of Narcan has a QR code on it containing instructions on how to use it and how to get help.
“Now that it’s available, it’s free, they can see it, it’s out in the public, the public is aware of it and people are less inclined to hide behind the stigma,” Peterson said.
Foundations to Freedom has purchased six more vending machines ready to be placed in other high-traffic high-overdose locations across Volusia County. Peterson said Foundations is currently writing a third grant request from Volusia County to purchase 10 more machines.
News 6 first became aware of Foundations to Freedom in 2022 when inmates recovering from addiction inside the Flagler County jail were released to the rehabilitation residences for 6-month-minimum stays.
One former inmate and lifelong addict, William Doran, has been so successful at Foundations to Freedom he has worked his way up from janitor to Project Manager.
Doran, after he was released from jail three years ago, just bought his first truck and first motorcycle at 62 years old. He has served nine prison sentences and was arrested 120 times.