Buffalo woman battling the opioid epidemic from her car

As the opioid epidemic worsens in WNY, one woman is trying to reverse the trend by taking services directly to those in need.

I'M ADDICTED TO OPIOIDS.

NEWTHIS MORNING -- A LOCAL WOMANIS MAKING IT HER MISSION TOHELP OTHERS IN HER COMMUNITY-- WHO ARE STRUGGLING WITHOPIOID ADDICTION.

IT'S APROBLEM THAT'S ONLY GOTTENWORSE BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC.TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR SCREEN--BETWEEN 2019 AND 2020 -- ERIECOUNTY SAW A 57 PERCENTINCREASE IN CONFIRMED OPIOID-RELATED DEATHS.

MORE THAN HALFOF THOSE DEATHS -- HAPPENED INBUFFALO.WITH EVERYONE STUCK AT HOME --IT MADE IT HARD FOR THOSESTRUGGLING WITH ADDICTION TOGET THE HELP THEY NEED.BUT AS 7 EYEWITNESS NEWSREPORTER TAYLOR EPPS EXPLAINS-- A BUFFALO WOMAN IS WORKINTO BRING THAT HELP-- DIRECTLYTO THOSE IN NEED.ED AND KATIE GOOD MORNING&ED AND KATIE GOOD MORNING&RIBACK IN FEBRUARYED AND KATIE GOOD MORNING&RIECOCK IN FEBRUARYCOUN IN FEBRUARYCOUNTYN FEBRUARYCOUNTY'SFEBRUARYCOUNTY'S OBRUARYCOUNTY'S OPIUARYCOUNTY'S OPIOIRYCOUNTY'S OPIOIDCOUNTY'S OPIOID TACOUNTY'S OPIOID TASKCOUNTY'S OPIOID TASK FCOUNTY'S OPIOID TASK FORCOUNTY'S OPIOID TASK FORCEIDENTIFIED SOME OF THE WORSTAREAS AFFECTED BY THEEPIDEMIC..

WHICH INCLUDED HEREIN BUFFALO'S RIVERSIDENEIGHBORHOODCODE..I MET ONE BUFFALO WOMAN WHO'SMADE IT HER MISSION TO REVERSETHE TREND IN THIS NEIGHBORHOBY COMING TO THEM DIRECTLYRASHONE "NO ONE RAISES THEIRHAND TO SAY I NEED HELP, SOWHAT WE DO IS TRY TO MEET APERSON WHERE THEY'RE AT." :08YOU MIGHT SEE THE STICKERS ONHER CARDOWN THE STREET ((HONKINGNAT)) RASHONE SCOTT- WILLIAMSMAKES HER PRESENCE KNOWN INBUFFALO.

RASHONE "WE WILL COMETO YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, SET UP,DO TRAINING, HAND OUT PPE.":06 SHE'S THE FOUNDER AND CEOOF MOBILE OVERDOSE PREVENTIONSERVICES..

A NON-PROFIT SHESTARTED TWO YEARS AGO..AFTERWORKING WITH THOSE STRUGGLINGWITH ADDICTION.

RASHONE "ILEARNED TO LOVE A POPULATIONTHAT MOST HAVE THROWN AWAY.":05 SO SHE RIDES AROUND HERCOMMUNITY& OFFERING HELP TOTHOSE WHO NEED IT ((NAT)) ANDTRAINING OTHERS SO THEY CAN DOTHE SAME.

RASHONE "ACTUALLY, ICAN TRAIN SOMEONE ON THE SPOT.THERE'S THREE THINGS I LIKE TOTEACH, RECOGNITION, RESPONDINGAND REPORTING." :09 SHETRAVELS WITH ANY RESOURCESSOMEONE MIGHT NEED.

BATTLINGTHE EPIDEMIC AND PANDEMIC ANDMORE..

RASHONE "WE AREFIGHTING COVID-19, HIV, STD,FOOD INSECURITY AND OPIATEOVERDOSE ALL AT THE SAMETIME." :11 SHE HAS VOLUNTEERS,BUT SAYS SHE NEEDS MORE HELPTO KEEP GOING.

RASHONE "WE ARELIMITED IN OUR FUNDING, WEHAVE RECEIVED 2 COVID-19GRANTS, BUT WE NEED HELP, WENEED HELP FROM LARGERORGANIZATIONS WHO ALSO AREFIGHTING THIS FIGHT." :13 SAVETHE MICHAELS OF THE WORLD HASBEEN FIGHTING HERE IN WNYSINCE 2011..

FOUNDER AVIISRAEL SAYS HE'D LOVE TO WORKWITH SCOTT- WILLIAMS, BUT THEYNEED HELP TOO..

ISRAEL "WE'RENOT DOING VERY GOOD, COVID ISIN THE WAY, RESTRICTIONS AREIN THE WAY, AT THE SAME TIMEPEOPLE ARE DYING BY LARGERNUMBERS." :12 ISRAEL SAYS HE'SBEEN WAITING ON FUNDING FROMTHE STATE..

ISRAEL "TAYLOR:HOW MUCH DO YOU NEED AND WHENDO YOU NEED IT?

ISRAEL: ALL OFIT..AND WHEN DO WE NEED IT?YESTERDAY." :06 ISRAEL "WE'RETALKING TO LEGISLATORS, WHATNEEDS TO BE CREATED IS ASPECIAL ACCOUNT THE MONEY WILLGO TO." :06 WHILE ISRAEL WORKSTO SECURE FUNDS..SCOTT-WILLIAMS IS WORKING ON AGOAL OF HER OWN.

RASHONE "IWOULD LIKE TO HAVE A NARCANKIT IN EVERY HOUSEHOLD IN WNYWHO HAS A FIRST AID KIT." :09AND SHE'LL CONTINUE WORKINTOWARD THAT GOAL THISATURDAYCOMMUNITY EVENT WITH PIZBELLA HERE ON TONAWANDASTREET.

WHERE SHE'S GIVING OUTFREE PIZZA, PPE, AND OVERDOSEPREVENTION TRAINING..

THISEVENT IS FREE TO THE PUBLICAND STARTS AT 4PM ON SATURDAYIN RIVERSIDE PARK RIGHT ACROSSTHE STREET..

IN BUFFALTEPPS, 7EWNOT ONLY IS THIS PANDEMICIMPACTING OUR FIGHT AGAI