Manchester Health Department Opens Addiction Awareness Exhibit At City Hall

MANCHESTER, NH — Manchester City Hall will host "Drug Addiction: Real People, Real Stories" throughout August as part of Overdose Awareness Month.

The exhibit was brought to Manchester with grant funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and in partnership with the Manchester Arts Commission and the Manchester Economic Development Office. The city said the INTO LIGHT Project is an anti-stigma initiative featuring graphite portraits and narratives of loved ones lost to drug addiction. Nationally, more than 600 stories have been featured through the project, including those of five Manchester residents. The artwork will be displayed in City Hall during August, and after the month ends, the stories will be permanently displayed in the atrium at the City of Manchester Health Department.

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Families submitted photographs, memories, and stories of loved ones to the INTO LIGHT Project team. The city said a national group of professional artists and writers then turned those submissions into original hand-drawn portraits paired with individually written narratives. The exhibit is part of a larger exhibition that was originally displayed at Plymouth State University.

The health department said the exhibit is meant to move beyond statistics and headlines and share the experiences of individuals, families and communities affected by addiction. It said the purpose is to humanize addiction and end the stigma of those suffering from substance use disorder. Manchester has made progress in reducing overdoses and fatalities while connecting more residents to treatment and recovery services, but said the work is not finished. It also said New Hampshire and the nation continue to face significant challenges with substance use disorder.

Mayor Jay Ruais said, "This exhibit reminds us that substance use disorder touches families from every neighborhood and every walk of life. By sharing these powerful stories, we can replace stigma with understanding, encourage people to seek help, and strengthen our community's commitment to prevention, treatment, and recovery."

The city said anyone seeking substance use disorder treatment can access the NH Doorway program at any time by calling 2-1-1 or visiting thedoorway.nh.gov.