The Wilmington Coalition for a Healthy Community (WCHC) partners with many other groups and organizations with the goal of reducing the toll of opioid and other drug overdoses in Southern Will County.
In 2016, the WCHC spearheaded community fundraising efforts to provide a canine officer for the community. Thanks to funding from residents and from the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office, Wilmington Police Department Canine Officer Mao began work in early 2017.
The WCHC works with other organizations funded by the federal Drug-Free Communities Support Program and other local drug-free coalitions to share information and collaborate on projects to reduce opioid and other drug abuse.
The WCHC recently worked with Free Press Newspapers in a series of stories to educate the community about the opioid overdose epidemic as seen below: