Samaritan Daytop Village, Bronx Borough President Sound the Alarm About the Worsening Impact of the Opioid Overdose Crisis in the Bronx

Photo credit: Anat Gerstein, Inc. 

Samaritan Daytop Village and Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson Sound the Alarm About the Worsening Impact of the Opioid Overdose Crisis in the Bronx

—National Overdose Deaths Decline, but the Bronx Faces Rising Toll—

—858 purple ribbon in Joyce Kilmer Park represent the Bronx residents who lost their lives to overdose in 2023—

 

—Click here for photos and video.
Credit: Courtesy of Anat Gerstein, Inc.—

 

(BRONX, NY - May 28, 2025)—The nonprofit Samaritan Daytop Village, Samaritan Daytop Health, and Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson gathered on Wednesday, May 28, 2025 in Joyce Kilmer Park surrounded by a sea of hundreds of purple ribbons to memorialize the Bronx residents lost to overdose in 2023 and spotlight the growing toll of the opioid crisis on this community.

   

The country has seen an encouraging decline in overdose deaths, with a 27% decrease in predicted drug overdose deaths in 2024 compared to 2023, according to the CDC. At a time when many across the country celebrate this downward turn, other communities, including the Bronx, have not seen the same level of progress. Overdose deaths have increased in the borough. In 2022, 831 people died from an overdose in the Bronx, which increased to 858 in 2023, according to the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

This borough also has the highest rates of overdose deaths in New York City. In the second quarter of 2024, 555 people died from an overdose, with the highest numbers occurring in the Bronx.

Wednesday’s ceremony served as an opportunity to honor and remember the Bronx residents lost to overdose—and to bring attention to the crisis that persists. Speakers called for more government support to address this issue and shared information on where people can get help.

Peer Recovery Professionals from Samaritan’s Peer Alliance Recovery Centers (PARC) spoke about the importance of harm reduction tools, including the life-saving medication Narcan®, as well as personal experiences with substance use, overdose, and peer recovery programs.

If you or a loved one are seeking help with recovery in the Bronx, you can reach Samaritan Daytop Village’s PARC Bronx program at 929-244-1500.

“Last year, when we gathered for this event, we hoped for a future where fewer ribbons would be needed,” said Mitchell Netburn, President & CEO of Samaritan Daytop Village. “Unfortunately, this year, we have had to place more. While the national decline in overdose deaths is worth celebrating, we must remember that progress has been uneven. I urge community members, government leaders, and fellow service providers to invest further in the Bronx so that we can turn the tide on the crisis in the borough."

“Today, we honored 858 lives lost to overdose in the Bronx—each represented by a purple ribbon,” said Alicia McFarlane, Chief Program and Legal Officer. “The Bronx continues to experience the highest rates of fatal overdoses in New York City. This is a crisis we cannot ignore. At Samaritan Daytop Village, we know that harm reduction saves lives, and we will continue supporting Bronx residents through our work at the Richard Pruss Wellness Center and our Peer Alliance Recovery Center. We are proud to stand alongside Borough President Gibson and our elected leaders in the fight to turn the tide of this epidemic.”

 

“Today, we come together in mourning, in remembrance, and in action. Each of the 858 purple ribbons placed in Joyce Kilmer Park represents a Bronx life lost to overdose—someone’s child, parent, friend, or neighbor,” said Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson. “While national trends may show progress, the Bronx continues to bear the brunt of this crisis. We must respond with urgency, compassion, and equity. That means investing in harm reduction, expanding access to treatment, and fighting the stigma that keeps too many from getting the help they need. I thank Samaritan Daytop Village and all our community partners for standing with us today and every day to save lives and support healing. The lives we’ve lost are not just statistics—they are a call to do better, together.”

“We are losing too many lives to overdose, and the Bronx continues to carry an unbearable share of this crisis,” said New York State Senator Nathalia Fernandez. “Programs like Narcan distribution and peer-led recovery are essential—but harm reduction must also include care for the communities where this work happens. That means ensuring our neighborhoods stay safe, clean, and respected. I’m proud to stand with Borough President Gibson and Samaritan Daytop Village as we call for more resources, more compassion, and a deeper commitment to healing, both for individuals and for the neighborhoods they call home.”

“In the Bronx, we’re not just facing a public health crisis—we’re facing a moral imperative to act. Every purple ribbon is more than just a statistic — it’s someone’s child, sibling, friend, or neighbor. Our community has carried the weight of this epidemic for far too long. It’s time we match the urgency of this crisis with the resources, compassion, and commitment our residents deserve. I stand with Borough President Gibson and Samaritan Daytop Village in honoring those we’ve lost and demanding real solutions for our community,” said Assemblymember Landon C. Dais, Assembly District 77.

“One of the greatest struggles our communities face is meeting the challenge to combat the opioid overdose crisis,” said Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz. “For over 20 years, I have worked on meeting that challenge, authoring legislation in 2005 that authorized the administration of Naloxone by nonprofessionals in case of an overdose and then writing legislation in 2014, which increased the availability of Naloxone by allowing health care professionals to prescribe, dispense, and distribute opioid antagonists through non-patient-specific prescriptions.  As the Bronx continues to fight this raging epidemic, it is altogether appropriate that we remember the Bronx residents we’ve lost in this terrible battle and continue our efforts in their memory.”

“A single death caused by an overdose is one too many,” said Assemblymember John Zaccaro, Jr. (AD-80). “Although nationwide overdoses are on the decline thanks to life-saving medications, the Bronx continues to trend in the wrong direction. We are at a critical juncture and must together say with one voice that enough is enough."

“As we confront the growing public health crisis of drug use, it is imperative that we lead with compassion, resources, and a commitment to healing,” said New York City Council Deputy Speaker Diana Ayala. “Bronx families have borne the brunt of this crisis for far too long, and they deserve comprehensive support, treatment access, and community-based solutions that address the root causes of addiction. We must work together to ensure that no one is left behind in our efforts to build a healthier, more resilient city.”

“In the Bronx, the opioid crisis continues to devastate our families, and it's our responsibility as leaders to respond with urgency, equity, and care,” said New York City Council Member Kevin C. Riley. “Every life lost is a painful reminder that the work is far from over. We must invest in trauma-informed services, strengthen harm reduction programs, and break the cycles of systemic neglect that fuel this epidemic. I thank Samaritan Daytop Village for their tireless commitment to our community and for leading with humanity, dignity, and action as we work together to turn the tide on this crisis.”

“The Bronx continues to bear the weight of the opioid crisis more than any other borough, and that is unacceptable. We must treat this as the public health emergency that it is - with increased investment in prevention, treatment, and mental health support. I'm grateful to Samaritan Dayton Health and Bronx Borough President Gibson for leading this powerful tribute to remember those we've lost and recommit ourselves to bring awareness and action to this ongoing crisis,” said Council Member Eric Dinowitz.

“If you want what you’ve never had, you have to do what you’ve never done before,” said PARC Peer Professional Byron Summers. “You have to stay connected, discuss the problems you’re experiencing, and do things you’ve never done before to live a better life.”

“I encourage everyone to come see us at the Center because it’s a safe, cool, fun, comfortable place where we can connect you with what you need,” said PARC Peer Professional Joseph Ruffalo. “I’m humbled and grateful to be alive. Recovery is real, and I’m living proof.”

To learn more about Samaritan Daytop Village’s Peer Alliance Recovery Centers, click here.

About Samaritan Daytop Village:

For over 60 years, Samaritan Daytop Village has been improving the quality of life for New Yorkers. The nonprofit is nationally recognized for the treatment of substance use disorder as well as for the veteran-specific approach it pioneered. Our continuum of services also includes health and mental health care, transitional and supportive housing, educational and vocational assistance, peer-assisted recovery, and specialized programs for adolescents, families, and seniors. Annually, Samaritan Daytop Village serves over 33,000 people at more than 80 facilities throughout New York City, Long Island, and the Hudson Valley. For more information about Samaritan Daytop Village, visit https://samaritanvillage.org/

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