Not One More is a product of our city coming together out of frustration, sorrow, hope, and a passion for change. Following the loss of her daughter to a heroin-related accident, Melissa Siebers recognized the need for change in our city and the surrounding areas in Ventura County, California.
The journey of Not One More began in January 2012. Melissa and other families rallied support from the community while attending a City Council meeting.
A group of supporters, just regular people, each with their own unique talents and dedication, from very diverse backgrounds, but all having been touched in one way or another by substance abuse, addiction, or sadly, death, now make up the Board of Directors for this non-profit organization. With commitment and integrity, we are working hard to change our part of the world, to make it a safe city for our children, families and neighbors.
Our goals are:
- To provide support to members of our community who are struggling with addiction in their lives;
- To educate the community about the drugs and addictions that are killing us;
- To inspire our young people to stay drug free and be role models to the people around them;
- To shake loose the stigma that keeps parents from reaching out for help when this dark shadow hangs over their family and to let them know that they do not have to deal with these things alone;
- To place a loving, compassionate arm around our addicts and the people who love them, and help raise them out of the dark and into a place of light, recovery and peace;
- To help fill the gap between what our state, city and schools provide for services and what our community needs;
- And to work in conjunction with other city officials, SVUSD officials and other community-based organizations aimed at preventing, dealing with, and educating our community about the dangers of drugs in our city.
Our plans to achieve these goals include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Parent education about the drugs that are in our community, how they are used and how they affect our children.
- A 24/7 web-based resource center with information about drugs, recovery and where people can turn in a time of crisis.
- Scholarships and gifts to help bridge the gap between the cost of rehab and insurance coverage.
- Help for families in navigating the insurance, rehab and services maze.
- An active grief outreach program. There is strength and comfort in numbers.
- Low or no cost intervention services.
- Age appropriate drug education back into our schools at all levels.
- Active involvement and participation in the city’s Heroin/Drug Prevention Task Force, in order to inspire change from within and to create a new, more effective system to provide for the needs of our community.
We are here to effect change in our community, no matter how difficult that road may be. We are determined, committed and passionate about this mission. We will move forward with steady and thoughtful acts to accomplish these goals. To stand united as a community to say
Not One More overdose,
Not One More lost spirit, and
Not One More grieving heart.
