News & Events

Families Against Narcotics receives $5,000 from First State Bank

Apr 30, 2018

Saint Clair Shores, MI (April 30, 2018) – Who’s most likely to become addicted to opioid painkillers like OxyContin, Percocet and Vicodin?

Often, the person you least expect. The teen with a sports injury. The construction worker with back pain. Even the grandmother who misreads a medicine bottle.

“It often starts with a prescription after a medical procedure or injury,” says Kelley Nahas, administrative coordinator of Families Against Narcotics. “It’s surprising how quickly people can go from functioning well in life to being overwhelmed by addiction.”

First State Bank is donating $5,000 to Families Against Narcotics to help the Fraser-based nonprofit raise awareness of the potential dangers of prescription painkillers.

Begun in 2007 after a string of opioid overdoses in Fraser, Families Against Narcotics works to support recovery from prescription drug abuse and erase the stigma of addiction. The organization has 21 chapters in Michigan and one in North Carolina.

“We want to change the face of addiction,” Nahas says. “No person, no family, no community is immune to this.”

Families Against Narcotics hosts more than 30 monthly meetings across the state to educate people about addiction and support those in recovery.

The organization also administers Hope Not Handcuffs, its signature program, whereby a person struggling with addiction can ask for help at any participating law enforcement agency. The program matches these individuals with appropriate treatment options—something it does about 80 times a month on average.

“They’re greeted with compassion and respect, then our team works to get them into treatment as soon as possible,” Nahas says.

The nonprofit also offers free presentations to high schools throughout the state. Speakers include young people in recovery and family members affected by addiction.

“It’s real people telling real stories,” Nahas says. “We’ve reached thousands of kids at dozens of schools.”

Nahas says First State Bank’s donation will help Families Against Narcotics fund Hope Not Handcuffs, start new chapters, and spread awareness about the addictive potential of prescription painkillers.

“Like so many of our Macomb County nonprofits, Families Against Narcotics consists of good people doing great things,” says Gene Lovell, president and CEO of First State Bank.

Founded in 1917, First State Bank observed its 100th anniversary last year. As part of its centennial celebration, the bank donated $5,000 to six Macomb County nonprofits nominated by bank employees, customers and the public.

The philanthropic outreach was so well-received—and the number of worthy organizations so many—that the community bank decided to continue the program for another year. Families Against Narcotics is the first of six $5,000 recipients in 2018.

“We’ve been Macomb County’s hometown bank for more than a century,” Lovell says. “It’s our privilege to contribute to organizations that support the well-being of our community.”

To learn more about Families Against Narcotics or to donate to the organization, please visit www.familiesagainstnarcotics.org.

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First State Bank is headquartered in St. Clair Shores, Michigan. With 101 years of service and $678 million in assets, First State Bank serves Macomb County with 11 branch offices located in Chesterfield Township, Clinton Township, Eastpointe, Macomb Township, Richmond, St. Clair Shores, Sterling Heights, Washington Township and a Loan Center in Clinton Township. For more information, please call 866-372-1275.