Support overdose education and prevention in your community.

Help us fight toxic drug overdose.

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Drug use and overdose can happen to anyone and in any family, and stigma can be deadly. AVI’s Community Overdose Education Project, led by our Education Teams, is a program that provides vital training in how to recognise and respond to a drug overdose, drug checking and awareness activities.

In 2025, 343 people died of toxic drug overdose on Vancouver Island. Toxic drugs are the leading cause of unnatural death across the provice. Due to the efforts of people across the Island, including families and loved ones, many lives have been saved. Over a decade ago, AVI recognised that overdose prevention efforts needed to move beyond street involved people as people from all walks of life were dying. With your donation, the Community Overdose Education project can continue fighting stigma and saving lives.

What program participants have to say:

  • Your information, humanity, and respect for people you support really shows through. You demonstrated so many ways to support someone's dignity. Thank you.

    Program Participant

  • ...Through you and your training, I was able to provide the necessary naloxone and chest compressions... By the time help arrived she was beginning to breathe again and colour was beginning to come back into her face. Thank you so much for all your information and for the naloxone kit I hoped I’d never have to use. The young girl was transported to the hospital, alive.

    Program Participant

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  • 2,300

    Program Participants

  • 100+

    Programs Taught

  • 33

    Communities Served

Past Community Recipients

  • Aboriginal Coalition to End Homelessness
  • Victoria Sexual Assault Centre
  • UVIC Engineering and Computer Science Staff
  • Mount Washington Alpine Resort
  • Wachiay Friendship Centre
  • Nanaimo’s Island Crisis Care Society
  • Ligwilda’xw Healthy Society
  • The Vancouver Island University
  • Discovery College
  • Compost Education Centre Staff
  • Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services
  • BC Ferries

Find AVI

AVI Health and Community Services has locations in Victoria, Nanaimo, Comox Valley and Campbell River. A range of services are available at each location. 

Founded in 1985, AVI Health and Community Services increases health equity by providing highly responsive harm reduction-based HIV, hepatitis C, substance use, sexual health, mental health, and other community health services, and is informed by the voices of people with living experience.

Donate
Donate

Support overdose education and prevention in your community.

Drug use and overdose can happen to anyone and in any family, and stigma can be deadly. AVI’s Community Overdose Education Project, led by our Education Teams, is a program that provides vital training in how to recognise and respond to a drug overdose, drug checking and awareness activities.

In 2025, 343 people died of toxic drug overdose on Vancouver Island. Toxic drugs are the leading cause of unnatural death across the provice. Due to the efforts of people across the Island, including families and loved ones, many lives have been saved. Over a decade ago, AVI recognised that overdose prevention efforts needed to move beyond street involved people as people from all walks of life were dying. With your donation, the Community Overdose Education project can continue fighting stigma and saving lives.