Mothers for Awareness & Prevention of Drug Abuse

In her grief, our founder, Janet Janes, knew that “even though Chris had passed away, I felt like I needed to protect other kids. I did not want another family to suffer this pain.” And thus MAPDA was created in 2011 with the help of other grieving mothers who had also suffered similar devastating losses. 

In 2011, opioids were a silent and often hidden killer – but as we spoke publicly about the dangers of misusing these drugs, parents who had suffered a loss or were struggling with a son’s or daughter’s substance use disorder began to reach out to us. They shared our desire to find solace; spare others from this anguish; and most importantly, demand action.

We started with tiny donations and outsize determination and began speaking in schools to educate children and teens about the deadly danger of misused prescription drugs.Now over 100,000 Americans lose their lives to overdoses every year, as waves of prescription and Illicit opioids flood our communities and enter our homes. No part of our our country is spared. No family is immune. The latest threat is Uber-powerful illicit synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl and its analogs.

The solutions can seem as straightforward as getting a loved one into treatment, or as complex as ending the stigma too often attached to those suffering from a substance use disorder or mental health issue. None of this is easy, but solutions are achievable. 

For starters, let’s get this straight: No one chooses to become addicted. It is not a moral failing. It is a disease. With our perspective as mothers and our fierce instincts to protect our children, we bring unique tools to this battle. We move forward in the memories of Chris, Ryan, Josh, Summer, and so many other loved ones we are losing every day. We stand with our many sister organizations fighting this fight and we stand arm-in-arm with parents everywhere who have lost a child. Today, MAPDA is a nationally recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization focused on solutions, prevention education, and drug awareness communication programs.