Project Noelle: Nonprofit provides assistance to kids impacted by opioid epidemic

ORLANDO, Fla. — The COVID-19 pandemic plus the opioid crisis has added up to tragedy in Central Florida.

Several studies have shown Opioid overdoses in the United States have been on the rise during the pandemic, and the numbers are staggering.

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“We’re seeing overdose deaths in 2020 rise in Central Florida by as much as 70%,” says Andrae Bailey, founder of “Project Opioid.”

For Keli Clark, the opioid epidemic struck her family three years ago.

“My Daughter Noelle passed away of an overdose in July of 2017. And she left behind three sons, two of which I’m raising now.”

It’s those innocent family members- like her own grandkids- that Keli wanted to help when she started a foundation bearing her daughter’s name: Project Noelle.

“We assist kids that have suffered from the opioid epidemic. Whether their parents have passed away, they’re in prison, they’re an active addict, whatever the case may be,” Clark says. “Then we end up helping a lot of the grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts, uncles, on and on and on that are now raising these kids.”

Clark and her team of volunteers provide emergency clothing and diapers to families impacted.

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They also offer support groups.

“A lot of the people with addiction issues suffered from some kind of childhood trauma. And some of the things that these kids are seeing, and then losing parents, is childhood trauma. So I feel like we need to step in and do whatever we can to kind of break that cycle,” Clark says.

Project Noelle started in Ohio, but recently branched out into Florida, and in just a few months, they already have more than 200 children in Orange and Brevard Counties that need help during the holidays.

“We have toy drives all over the place. We’ll have Christmas parties for kids. Of course, this year is going to be a little different because distribution is going to be a drive-thru.

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Clark says they’re even organizing a Zoom meeting with Santa Claus for the kids.

To learn more about Project Noelle, click here to visit their Facebook page.

See an American Medical Association brief on reports about the increase in overdose deaths during the pandemic below:

Cox Media Group