Project RED, a program of the Alano Club of Portland, has been a key partner in helping restaurants and bars gain consistent access to lifesaving supplies like Narcan. Ellen Wirshup, a veteran bartender and person in recovery, has been Project RED’s program manager since 2022 and has dedicated her time to creating opportunities for people in the service industry to learn how to compassionately respond to an overdose and potentially save lives with overdose reversal medications like naloxone.
The demand for Project RED’s services, which include free harm reduction supplies and educational trainings, continues to climb. In 2025 alone, Project RED distributed more than 8,000 doses of naloxone to more than 200 organizations, businesses, restaurants, and mutual aid groups and another 5,600 doses to individuals throughout Oregon via mail. 80% of recipients said they would not have been able to access naloxone were it not for Project RED.
While the overdose death rate has decreased nationally, Oregon is behind the national average (22% in OR vs 26% US) and many counties in Oregon have seen the overdose death rate rise (CDC National Vital Statistics). Largely, the decrease in overdose deaths is attributed to the increase in availability of Narcan which is accomplished via street outreach and mail order services like that of Project RED.
The community need remains, that much is evident, but the bulk of Project RED’s funding has either been eliminated or drastically cut. As of February 2026, the bulk of the program’s funding has been expended and Kasey Anderson, the Alano Club of Portland’s Executive Director, is forecasting Project RED’s public funding will be eliminated in full by July 1, 2026.
The stakes are high, in more ways than one. As Oregon’s largest nongovernmental distributor of naloxone, thousands of people rely on Project RED’s supplies and resources. These public funding cuts, which are part of a nationwide trend disrupting nonprofits, mean more than 2,000 organizations, businesses, restaurants, and community partners across Oregon will lose access to naloxone and other lifesaving materials and workshops.
“Without significant support from donors and community partners, there is a very real possibility Project RED will be unable to sustain operations and have to shut down completely,” Wirshup shared. “We’ve already been forced to reduce operations and supply deliveries outside of Multnomah and Washington counties. We do not have the budget to get Narcan in the hands of those who need it; as it stands, these funding cuts are very seriously interfering with our ability to provide lifesaving mutual aid.”
Project RED is seeking private funding and program sponsorships in order to sustain operations beyond June 30th, 2026 and continue to provide individuals, organizations and businesses in Oregon with barrier-free access to life-saving supplies, trainings and educational materials. Alano has set up a fundraising campaign to raise a minimum of $250,000 to avoid a complete shutdown of Project RED. Donations will be used to maintain personnel and return to full capacity of previous overdose prevention supply distribution for more than 20,000 Oregonians.
Anderson continues to seek replacement funding from public entities like Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and private foundations despite the sector’s challenges, but implores community members to step forward and fill this critical gap before it’s too late, “We know that access to overdose prevention supplies is a key part of fighting the opioid crisis, and our state remains dead last in availability for these types of resources. Whether you struggle with addiction, lost a loved one to an overdose, or believe in the power of care and generosity for neighbors in need, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to Project RED during our emergency fundraiser.”
To make a donation in support of Project RED, click here.To learn more about the program and its impact, please visit Project RED’s website.