Goodwill Industries hosts lifesaving training for homeless individuals

Special to Iredell Free News

Goodwill Industries NWNC recently hosted hosted a first in Iredell County, when it provided QPR/CPR/Narcan training for persons struggling with homelessness.

Planning for the event started several months ago, after a brief discussion on a local homelessness call, and went from being “just” a QPR training to discussion of what else could be done to support men and women who are often in need of support.

The team decided to offer CPR and Narcan training as well. Community partners involved in the planning and facilitation of this event include Fifth Street Ministries, Foundations of Hope Ministries, Goodwill Industries, Iredell County EMS Community Response Support Team, Partners Health Management, Statesville Police Department, and in partnership with Be Well Iredell, a United Way program.

The community partners worked to provide a unique opportunity for some of Iredell County’s most vulnerable and at-risk population by providing cardiopulmonary resuscitation training, Narcan training, and Overdose Awareness facilitated by Iredell County EMS/CRST.

Also, QPR-Question, Persuade and Refer for suicide prevention was facilitated by Partners Health Management. The 18 participants also received educational materials and other resource information. Mi Pueblo Mexican Grill provided lunch to all participants.

This, however, is just the beginning, as plans are already being made to offer this same training at least three more times in Iredell County in the near future.