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.

She grew up in Lockport NY and went to school originally for cosmetology. She grew up riding horses before having a fall that caused four shoulder surgeries and struggling with an addiction to opiates. She is celebrating three, almost four years of sobriety. She came to Save the Michaels starting as a Secretary in our Niagara County office, before moving up rapidly, and becoming a part of the transportation team. Jessica spends her time horseback riding, with her dog or reading. She is in school full time for her CASAC-T and plans to move on to a degree in social work. She assists in every department but is primarily focused on reporting, transportation, and graphic design.

Jessica has been with save the Michaels two years in June and is proud of the difference her team makes every day. She is grateful to be a part of a team who is fighting to change the structure around addiction and homelessness. Jessica looks forward to seeing the changes and growth of the system as STM moves forward.

Monday, May 22nd from 7PM-8:30PM on WebEx

Cordelia Kraus, LPC, CADC-I

 To Attend A Webex Group

Go to our Webex Room: https://savethemichaels.webex.com/meet/rchost