Aaron’s Haven of Hope and the Carlos Marquez Forever 34 Foundation gathered for their first annual pajama and ornament-decorating event, where both foundations shared resources on opioid recovery and addiction.
At this event, resources such as Narcan, otherwise known as Naloxone, a life-saving drug meant to reverse the effects of opioids, were handed out, along with information on how to administer the drug. Drug test packets for Fentanyl and Xylazine were placed in front of the resources shared by Chris and Loretta La Medica, founders of the Carlos Marquez Forever 34 Foundation.
Trinidad Jacobo, founder of Aaron’s Haven of Hope, another non-profit organization that is centered around offering services to the community, has been hosting pajama drives in the community of Delano for the past decade.
“We have been doing the pajama drive every year, just as a community, my girlfriend and I, we saw a need in our community so we got together, we’ve been doing that for about ten years,” said Jacobo.
However, when her son Aaron passed away from an opioid overdose in December 2024, she decided to unite both causes and include additional resources for the betterment of the community.
“I noticed as Aaron was going through his addiction that it was really difficult for us as a family to navigate through the substance abuse and mental health system. I want to ensure that other parents, families, and even other addicts who want to get sober have the resources they need… We always do it during this week, so we just thought, well, I want to incorporate it now with Aaron’s Haven of Hope,” said Jacobo.
Partnered with the Carlos Marquez Foundation is Micheal Torres, founder of Kern County Outreach, a program designed to share resources with the Bakersfield area. On his side of the booth were pictures of men, women, and children who died from opiate use, including the picture of Ezekiel Xavier “Zekey” Rivera, a two-year-old boy who died in 2023 of a Fentanyl overdose. Rivera’s case is one of many instances in which children are unknowingly subjected to opiates.
Torres’s own daughter is another example of Fentanyl victimization.
“My daughter was exposed to Fentanyl by a family member. Drugs do not discriminate, and age does not matter when it comes to drugs. My daughter was only two and a half years old at the time…If I didn’t know the signs, she probably would not be here…If I had been that parent that just put her to sleep, thinking she was just tired, she wouldn’t be here today,” shared Torres.
Torres also mentioned a few key factors to be aware of when dealing with a person who may be experiencing an opioid overdose. This includes principles such as Good Samaritan laws, which offer protection from civil lawsuits in the event that an individual administers aid to someone who is in danger.
“If you were in an accident, I pulled you out, but I broke your arm, you cannot sue me. I am not liable because I was surrendering aid. Same thing goes with an opiate overdose. A lot of people are just leaving people there to pass because they didn’t want to have the interaction with law enforcement, they don’t want to get questioned, so they just leave that person there to pass,” said Torres.
Through the distribution of Narcan, drug test kits, and educational materials provided by different organizations inspired to create a change in the Kern County area, attendees were given an opportunity to further explore what opioids truly do to their community. The collaboration between all three organizations ignited a spark in community outreach and education while highlighting the ongoing impact of opioids on families.
