Fostering hope

HOPE in Fostoria is set to host several events for addiction recovery and awareness.

HOPE, which stands for Heroin Opioid Prevention Epidemic, is a relatively new community prevention coalition. It was formed in 2017 by 13 people who are community leaders and concerned citizens.

“It started with a volunteer board and members. Then we hired staff,” said HOPE Director Shelly Biggert.

She added that the goal of the coalition when it began was to prevent overdose deaths but it expanded to address substance abuse and mental health issues.