Newaygo County is a rural area with limited resources, services, and funding available to residents. Access to what is available is further challenged by the lack of public transportation throughout the county. In April 2022, local law enforcement agencies saw an increase in community concern related to rising substance-related incidents. Many residents reached out to ask how they could get involved and contribute to efforts addressing these issues in a constructive and appropriate way.

The police chiefs from Grant, Fremont, Newaygo, and White Cloud Police Departments came together to address the growing number of concerns voiced by residents about increasing substance-related issues in the county. They were struck by the number of people reaching out and were motivated to find a productive response.

Around the same time, Ferris State University contacted Newaygo Police Chief Georgia Andres to share information about a program called Hope Not Handcuffs. In May 2022, Chief Andres, White Cloud Chief Evans, Police Social Worker Nicole Klomp, and others met with Jestine Garcia, the Michigan Regional Coordinator for the program at the time. Together, they agreed to bring the initiative to Newaygo County as a starting point for local action.

Ms. Klomp was designated as the point of contact for local departments to help coordinate and guide the effort. She and Ms. Garcia, who also lives in Newaygo County, began conversations about restarting a local chapter of Face Addiction Now (FAN) as an additional pathway for residents looking to better understand substance-related challenges and share their perspectives. They invited a broad range of organizations and individuals to attend informational sessions about both Hope Not Handcuffs and FAN. Attendees responded with strong interest and encouragement for moving forward with a local FAN chapter.

Building on that momentum, Ms. Klomp and Ms. Garcia reached out to contacts across a variety of sectors. They were able to bring together professionals from the courts, school systems, healthcare, law enforcement, and community service organizations—many of whom had personal or professional reasons for getting involved. The result has been a shared commitment to finding practical, compassionate responses to substance-related challenges and improving access to reliable information and support across Newaygo County.