Follow us:

Main Office

737 Delaware Avenue, Suite 101
Buffalo, NY 14209

Non-Medical Transport

(716) 936-RIDE (7433)
Calls For Help Resolved

16535

Placements Found

1093

Transports Provided

1064

Groups Hosted

461

michael israel
Our Story

It Started With Michael Israel

Save the Michaels of the World, Inc. was established in June of 2011 as a small kitchen roundtable action group, to bring attention and awareness of the devastating effects of opioid medications after the death by suicide of 20 year old Michael David Israel.

Avi and Julie Israel decided they didn’t want to see other families suffer the loss of a loved one. The journey started with an interview with a Buffalo News reporter who told Michael’s story. That story got more attention from TV stations. Doctors, patients, parents and the population as a whole are not aware of the danger of opiate addiction. We wanted to find a way to address the overprescribing of pain medications such as hydrocodone and others.
 

 

avi israel founder
Avi Israel
Founder
Read More
Services

We Focus On Your Specific Needs

employee of the month
Employee of the Month!

Featured Employee: Sarah Gawronski

Case Management Supervisor
Save the Michaels Lockport

Sarah joined Save the Michaels in the January of 2025 as the Case Manager Supervisor for the HHUNY program located in the Lockport Recovery Center. In 2016 Sarah lost her husband to an opiate overdose which left her as a single mother of 3.  Following the loss of her husband Sarah battled with depression followed by a struggle with addiction for the next several years of her life. Due to her life battles, Sarah found an opportunity to begin work in the mental health and SUD field. While still struggling with addiction on and off Sarah bounced around to a couple different agencies providing peer work, case management, housing, and office management. Sarah knew working in this field was what she was meant to do and had a passion for helping people. After a few months of sobriety beginning in April of 2024, Sarah saw the job posting for Save the Michaels and knew that this was the opportunity that she had been waiting for. Since starting in her current position with Save the Michaels, Sarah uses her life experiences to connect with individuals while assisting them to navigate their way through life and link them with the resources necessary for their path to recovery. Sarah believes Save the Michaels has been the missing piece the fills the void in her life since her husband passed. Sarah will be celebrating one year of sobriety in the month of April and wants to thank all her employees, co-workers, peers and participants for helping her find her true self again and being a part of her sobriety journey.




 

Making a difference

Making a Difference!!

‘Narcan — it gives people a second chance’: New Narcan vending machine to save lives 

https://www.wkbw.com/news/local-news/northtowns/narcan-it-gives-people-a-second-chance-new-narcan-vending-machine-to-save-lives

There is a new way of fighting the drug overdose epidemic to save lives. A Narcan vending machine is now installed outside the Kenmore Fire Department.

Save the Michaels has partnered with NY Matters to provide a vending machine for harm reduction supplies.
Inside particpants will find test strips for both Xylanzine and Fentanyl and Naloxone.

This vending machine can be found at 16 Nash Road in Kenmore.

What Our Clients Say!

upcoming events
Upcoming Events

NOT ONE MORE!  (Presented by Spectrum Health & Human Services)

Save the Michaels invites you to join us
MONDAY, AUGUST 26th from 5PM-8PM
for NOT ONE MORE!
A FREE Community Event at
Veterens Memorial Park
behind 1250 Union Road in West Seneca
Music, Food Trucks, Performers and Community Resources!