Delaware County has not been immune to the opioid epidemic sweeping the nation.

As a result, the Springfield community has united to create a new organization, Springfield Cares, to fight the plague, writes Anne Neborak for the Springfield Press.

“We started this out of concern for our community because addiction is killing people across the country,” Jeff Rudolph, chairman of the Springfield Township Board of Commissioners, said. “It’s a terrible, terrible affliction.”

According to Neborak, the group is comprised of elected officials, law enforcement, medical experts, and school officials, along with residents within the community who have been effected by addiction.

The organization started meeting in April and will be distributing literature to residents at National Night Out tomorrow from 6-9 PM at the Springfield Country Club.

“Citizens and community leaders have said enough is enough,” said Rudolph. “We wanted to do something grassroots in our town. There are national things and local things but we wanted to be a local resource in our area to get help and to educate our community.”

Springfield, much like the rest of the country, has experienced deaths from opioids and heroin addiction, according to Springfield Police Sgt. Joe Sadoff.

Click here to read more about Springfield Cares in the Springfield Press.