Greg interviews JoAnna Krohn, the Founder of SOLACE (Surviving Our Loss and Continuing Everyday). SOLACE is a non-profit organization that provides community for those who’ve lost a loved one to substance abuse. In the wake of her son Wes’ tragic death in 2008, JoAnna shares how she created SOLACE to help others cope with their own losses. She also worked with Sam Quinones on his highly-acclaimed book Dreamland. This episode is Part Four in a series of podcasts that will explore life after Dreamland for those who helped Sam with his book.
Greg asks JoAnna about life after the pill-mills closed in Portsmouth, due to the passing of House Bill 93 in 2011. She explains how those dependent on opioid pills shifted to heroin dependency. Since there were no clinics to help these individuals at the time, JoAnna discusses how she herself helped people. “At SOLACE, I opened the doors to those suffering from substance abuse and they flooded in,” says JoAnna. “I had crisis counselors with me for 6 months, volunteering every day for nothing. At that point, I realized SOLACE should become a certified facility—so those volunteers could be paid and we could help even more people. So that’s what I did.”
Listen to the podcast to hear about JoAnna’s latest nonprofit, Port45 Recovery, and how she’s currently working to help those suffering in her community.
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