Pearl Jam to partner with Project RED and the Alano Club of Portland on Overdose Prevention Initiative for U.S. Tour Dates.
As the number of annual overdose deaths in the United States surpasses 100,000 and fentanyl has become the leading cause of death for people ages 18-45, Pearl Jam and Project RED (Reduction, Education, Distribution), an overdose prevention initiative from the Alano Club of Portland, have launched a partnership to raise awareness about overdose prevention.
Project RED will be on site with representatives from local harm reduction and recovery organizations on every date on Pearl Jam’s September US tour to distribute overdose prevention supplies and educational materials and offer training on overdose identification and prevention. There will also be information about local and national supports and services for those in or seeking recovery from substance use or mental health disorders.
Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready knows all too well the importance of, and need for, overdose prevention and recovery services. “I’m sad that we’ve lost so many musicians that we loved dearly,” McCready said. “We’ve lost too many people to addiction and mental health issues. I was lucky to have support around me for my own recovery journey and my hope is that with increased access to overdose prevention supplies and information and recovery support, together we can stop some of these senseless deaths.”
“Pearl Jam is a band whose members have lived experience with losing loved ones to overdose, and lived experience with recovery,” said Brent Canode, Executive Director of the Alano Club of Portland. “Our organization provides cost-free recovery supports and overdose prevention resources, so it made sense to represent the full breadth of that work, to meet people wherever they’re at. For Pearl Jam to use their platform to amplify this message is incredible, and it will make an enormous difference. It’s also in keeping with the band’s history of shining a light on issues that deeply impact historically marginalized communities; communities where there is the greatest need. We could not be more excited and grateful to partner with Pearl Jam on this initiative.”
For more information about Project RED visit projectredinitiative.org.
Josh Klinghoffer is also going to be Pearl Jam fans’ eyes and ears this leg of the Gigaton tour. On each stop, he’ll be sharing highlights and answering fans’ questions on Pearl Jam Radio.
Source: pearljam.com
Born in Reggio Emilia in 1980. He created pearljamonline.it in 2001 and wrote the first edition of “Pearl Jam Evolution” in 2009 along with his wife Daria. Since 2022, he is behind 2 podcasts: “Pearl Jam dalla A alla Z” and “Fuori Orario Not Another Podcast”. He has collaborated with Barracuda Style, HvsR, Rolling Stone, Rockol and Il Fatto Quotidiano. He continues relentlessly to try to find “beautiful melodies that say terrible things”.
Favorite song: Present Tense
Favorite album: No Code
Favorite bands/artists other than PJ: Tom Waits, Soundgarden, Ramones, Bruce Springsteen, IDLES, Fontaines D.C., The Murder Capital, Dead Kennedys, Mark Lanegan, Cat Power, R.E.M.