The Night of Tribute & Support is meant to help eliminate stigma around substance use disorder and remember those who’ve lost their lives.
Burlington County officials joined local advocates, providers and families last month for a vigil memorializing residents lost to substance use disorder.
The annual Night of Tribute & Support is meant to help eliminate the stigma surrounding the disorder, remember those who’ve died because of it and provide support to their loved ones.
The event – held at the Burlington County Amphitheater on Aug. 28 – is organized by the Burlington County Coalition for Healthy Communities; Shouting 4 Shelby, a nonprofit that provides support and resources to families impacted by substance use disorder; the Burlington County Department of Human Services; and the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office.
This year marks the eighth for the vigil.
“In an odd way, I feel inadequate as I reach for words that could possibly measure up to the unfathomable loss that so many of us gathered here this evening have endured and continue to endure,” said former county prosecutor Scott Coffina at the remembrance. “How can I – who have never walked in your heavy shoes – possibly find the right words that might help you, just a little, feel better than when you walked in?
“The truth is I can’t,” he acknowledged, “and I probably shouldn’t try … You have experienced a loss that is immense and unimaginable to everyone else, but we all lose something when a member of our community dies, especially, as is so often the case, one so young.”
The vigil also featured musical performances, tributes and the reading of names of lost loved ones. The Burlington County Hope One Mobile Outreach Unit was also on hand, along with the Hope One for Youth van, launched last year to provide mental-health services and outreach to county children and teenagers.
The unit travels to local schools, youth group meetings, houses of worship and community events to educate teens, children and parents about mental health, drugs and other issues. Both Hope One and Hope One for Youth are part of the county’s comprehensive response to the opioid and substance use crisis.
Other actions taken by the county include a stigma-free campaign to dispel misconceptions and increase awareness of substance use disorder and support available. The Burlington County Recovery Center at the county’s Human Services Building and the Peer Recovery Center at Burlington City’s municipal building are open to those in recovery to get support and information about treatment programs and other resources.
The county partnered with the Traumatic Loss Coalition and YMCA of the Pines in Medford to create Camp Cardinal, a free day camp for children impacted by substance use disorder and the county Human Services staff distributed emergency Naloxone kits to schools, libraries and other public spaces. Buddy Benches are being installed that feature the message, “You Are Not Alone. Call 988 Crisis Lifeline.”
“The opioid crisis has touched every corner of Burlington County,” noted county Prosecutor LaChia Bradshaw at the vigil. “It has stolen lives far too soon and left families heartbroken. But gatherings like this continue to remind us that while grief is heavy, love and legacy is stronger.”
A total of 88 suspected drug deaths were reported in the county last year, a 31% reduction from the 128 reported in 2023 and the county’s lowest annual death toll since 2014, with 75. Deaths are on pace to drop again this year; according to preliminary data, there were 35 reported through July.
“For the friends and families who have suffered a loss, your loved ones are never forgotten,” Bradshaw stated. “Their names and faces will live on tonight and each year that we gather. We are committed to continue so that their memory fuels our determination to do better.”
