Fifth Annual International Overdose Awareness Day Resource Fair
Published on August 25, 2026
Allegheny County Honors and Supports Community on International Overdose Awareness Day
Free event will honor lives lost, celebrate lives saved, and connect the community with resources to prevent overdose
PITTSBURGH – As communities around the world prepare to observe International Overdose Awareness Day on Monday, August 31, Allegheny County is bringing together residents, health and social service providers, and community organizations for the Fifth Annual International Overdose Awareness Day Resource Fair.
The public is invited to attend this free, community-centered event from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Allegheny Commons Park on Cedar Avenue. The event will connect residents with more than 45 local health and social service providers while honoring people lost to overdose, recognizing those who have survived, and providing practical tools to combat the overdose epidemic.
The event is a partnership between the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD), the Allegheny County Department of Human Services (DHS) Bureau of Drug and Alcohol Programs, and the City of Pittsburgh Office of Community Health and Safety.
“International Overdose Awareness Day is an opportunity to remember the people behind the statistics and to turn that remembrance into action,” said Katie Wooten, Overdose Prevention Program Manager at the Allegheny County Health Department. “We know that preventing overdose is not about one intervention or one moment. It is about making sure people have access to naloxone, accurate information, supportive services, and the confidence to act when it matters. Every naloxone kit distributed, every conversation that reduces stigma, and every person who learns how to respond to an overdose can change what happens next.”
Allegheny County has recorded a decline in overall overdose deaths for the fourth consecutive year. At the same time, changes in the local drug supply, including the growing presence of sedatives, continue to create serious risks. Black adults ages 35 to 75 currently experience the highest overdose death rates of any demographic group in Allegheny County. Nearly 70% of fatal overdoses in the County occur when people are alone.
“It may surprise people to learn that older black residents are at a heightened risk of overdose. Today’s drugs are different and that has really shifted our overdose demographics,” said George, an ambassador for ACHD's Small Changes, Big Differences campaign. “If you or someone you know uses drugs, no matter your age, knowing the facts and having naloxone on hand can make a life-saving difference.”
Through its Small Changes, Big Differences campaign, ACHD is highlighting the everyday actions residents can take to protect themselves, their loved ones, and their communities. Campaign messages featuring George will appear throughout the City of Pittsburgh and on television this month, reminding residents that small actions, such as carrying naloxone or learning how to respond to an overdose can make a big difference. The campaign features stories of Allegheny County residents and advocates whose actions help make naloxone more accessible.
ACHD continues to expand access to free naloxone and hands-on overdose response training as part of its inclusive approach to preventing overdose deaths. ACHD provides free naloxone through community outreach, partnerships, public naloxone vending machines and dispensers.
Naloxone is a safe, widely available medication that can rapidly reverse an opioid overdose and give a person experiencing an overdose a chance to survive.
To order free naloxone or request overdose response training, visit: harmreductionallegheny.org
To view Small Changes, Big Differences campaign materials and public service announcements, visit: harmreductionallegheny.org/campaign-materials-information
###
The Allegheny County Health Department's mission is to protect, promote, and preserve the health and well-being of the more than 1.2 million people who call Allegheny County home.
Media inquiries may be directed to Ronnie Das,
Public Information Officer for the Health Department,
at ronnie.das@alleghenycounty.us or by phone at 412-578-7991.