They say when you find your purpose, the road appears in front of you. That is exactly what happened when Project White Butterfly was created out of an idea to stay busy hanging up notes around the Cleveland area, hit hard by the opioid epidemic, one night. We were a few friends, who had all met in recovery, tired of losing people close to us to overdoses. We wanted to remind individuals with addiction of the resources available in our community and that there are many people, who have been in their shoes, willing to help them find the road to recovery.
This mission is close to my heart, as an individual who has a lived experience in addiction and now in recovery for the last five years. From personal experience, and feedback from those touched by the work already carried out by Project White Butterfly, it is evident that our support makes an impact on those affected by substance use disorder.
Check out this video on the great things accomplished by PWB in 2022 ! !
My brother-in-law, Justin Terlop, died of a drug overdose in 2018. He was 30 years old. He left behind an eleven-year-old son, a beautiful girlfriend, and a family that still feels the pain of his absence every day.
The day he died, I saw a white butterfly flying around our yard. The moment I saw that white butterfly I felt something, a sense of peace came over me. Justin is the inspiration for using a white butterfly as the symbol of our mission to help individuals who are trapped in the darkness of addiction.
If you are an individual with substance use disorder and need help connecting to resources, have questions, or would just like to talk to someone who has a lived experience in addiction – Send us a message by clicking on the chat bubble on the bottom of the page.
Project White Butterfly has avenues for both individuals and groups to become involved in the heartfelt work we do to carry out our mission of reaching individuals with substance use disorder and connecting them to supportive resources – Find out how you can help us by clicking HERE
To help create a healthy environment for individuals on their journey to recovery, Project White Butterfly understands the importance of educating members of the community on topics ranging from harm reduction to eliminating barriers for individuals with substance use disorder. Please visit our blog for more information about how you can become an advocate for those with substance use disorder by clicking HERE