Local access point
Blessing Barn
Located at Smithey’s Wrecker Service on North Columbia Avenue in Rincon.
Open directions ↗Know the signs
Slow or stopped breathing, blue or gray lips, pinpoint pupils, choking or gurgling sounds, or not waking up.
Effingham County
Free supplies, available 24/7
Take what you need from the self-serve Blessing Barn. No appointment, insurance, or explanation required.
Act fast
If you think it’s an overdose
When in doubt, treat it like an overdose. Naloxone will not harm someone who is not experiencing an opioid overdose.
Call 911
Say the person is unresponsive and not breathing normally. Put the phone on speaker.
Give naloxone
Spray one dose into one nostril. Follow the package directions.
Support breathing
Give rescue breaths or CPR if you know how. Follow the dispatcher’s directions.
Repeat and stay
If there is no response after 2–3 minutes, give another dose. Stay until help arrives.
Watch the demonstration
How to give nasal naloxone
This 30-second CDC video shows how to use a prefilled naloxone nasal spray, often called Narcan. Hold the device with your thumb under the plunger, place the nozzle in one nostril, and press firmly. Each device contains one dose.
During a suspected overdose, give naloxone and call 911 right away. Follow the dispatcher’s directions and stay with the person.
Watch on the CDC website ↗ · NARCAN® product directions ↗Fentanyl test strips
How to test a sample
Test-strip brands use different amounts of water and different timing. Check the directions packaged with your strip before you start.
Prepare a sample
Use a clean container. A sample from only one part of a pill or powder may miss fentanyl elsewhere in the supply.
Mix with water
Add the amount of water specified for your strip and the substance being tested. Mix thoroughly.
Dip the strip
Place the test end in the liquid only up to the marked line. Leave it in for the time on the package.
Read the result
Lay the strip flat and read it within the package’s time window. Use its diagram to identify a positive, negative, or invalid result.
A negative test does not mean a drug is safe.
Fentanyl may be unevenly mixed, and strips do not detect every substance. Carry naloxone and consider a check-in if you might otherwise use alone.
See Georgia Overdose Prevention’s illustrated strip guide ↗The linked guide is for WHPM strips. Use its measurements and line chart only if that matches the brand in your kit.
Lower the risk
Small steps save lives
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Never use aloneHave someone nearby. If you are by yourself, call Never Use Alone at 800-484-3731 before using.
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Carry naloxoneTell others where it is and how to use it.
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Test your supplyFentanyl test strips can identify fentanyl, but no test makes drug use completely safe.
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Go slow and avoid mixingUse less than usual, especially after a break. Mixing substances raises overdose risk.
More support
Help, on your terms
You do not have to be ready for treatment to deserve safety and support.
Georgia Overdose Prevention
Request a free naloxone rescue kit if eligible and find Georgia overdose-prevention training and resources.
Never Use Alone • 800-484-3731
Call before using if you are alone. A volunteer stays on the line and can send emergency help to your location if you stop responding. This line is not a replacement for 911 during an overdose.
GCAL • 1-800-715-4225
24/7 crisis help and connection to mental health or substance-use services.
Call GCAL988 Lifeline
Free and confidential support by call, text, or chat, 24 hours a day.
Call 988 · Text 988FindTreatment.gov
Search confidentially for substance-use and mental-health treatment near you.
Search services ↗NEXT Distro Georgia
Learn about naloxone and harm reduction supply access in Georgia.
View Georgia resources ↗Coastal Health District
Opioid information and prevention resources serving Effingham County.
View local resources ↗Beyond harm reduction
What do you need help with?
Local help can be surprisingly hard to find. Start with the need that sounds closest to yours.
Effingham-first directory: These resources are located in Effingham County or directly serve local residents. Programs can change, so call ahead when an appointment, referral, or eligibility check is noted.
Baby and child safety
🍼 I need emergency diapers or wipes
Free emergency bundles of diapers and wipes are available at the Effingham County Health Department.
Where: 802 Highway 119 South, Springfield
Access: Ask a staff member for diaper assistance. No identification is required; supplies are available once monthly per child.
😴 I want a free safe infant sleep class
Free monthly classes teach safe sleep practices. Eligible participants receive a free portable crib after completing the class.
Who: Pregnant people in their third trimester and parents of infants age one or younger
Access: Registration required; class size is limited.
🚗 I need help checking my child's car seat
Certified child-passenger-safety technicians can inspect a child restraint and help caregivers install it correctly.
Access: Appointment required.
🛡️ My child has experienced abuse
This Effingham County child advocacy center supports protection, justice, and healing for children and families impacted by physical or sexual abuse.
Access: Email the center to confirm its current referral process.
Home, work and family stability
🦽 I need a wheelchair ramp or minor home repair
GAP Ministries helps Effingham County families in need with wheelchair ramps and some minor home repairs, painting, and emergency relief.
Access: Contact the ministry to describe the need and ask about current capacity.
💼 I need help finding a job or becoming financially stable
Employment-readiness support for people facing unemployment or underemployment barriers, plus youth development and community outreach.
Where: 508 N. Richland Avenue, Rincon
🏠 My family with children is facing homelessness
Housing stabilization and family support for families with children experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
Where: 2160 GA-21, Rincon
Access: Call to ask about eligibility, intake, and current program availability.
Kids, parents and free activities
🎨 I want free activities and support for my family
Free workshops for parents and caregivers of Pre-K–12 students, plus Kidz Academy and Youth Leadership programming.
Participating children receive free books, and events include breakfast and lunch.
🌱 My child wants activities, leadership, or service opportunities
Local youth activities, clubs, leadership opportunities, service projects, camps, and educational programming.
Ages, schedules, and costs vary by activity.
Healthcare and older adults
🩺 I am uninsured and need medical care
Free primary healthcare for eligible Effingham County adults who do not have health insurance.
Who: Adults ages 18–64 at or below 200% of the federal poverty level
Where: 711 Zitterour Drive, Rincon
🎨 I'm an older adult and want something social to do
Free weekday social activities include crafts, exercise, educational programs, special lunches, and other gatherings.
Who: Effingham County residents age 60 and older
Disability safety and foster care
📍 I need help protecting someone who may wander
Project Lifesaver supports adults and children at risk of wandering because of autism, Alzheimer's disease, dementia, or another cognitive condition.
Access: Call the Sheriff's Office to ask about enrollment and current requirements.
🏡 I need information about residential support for a boy in foster care
A community-based group home providing residential and therapeutic support for boys assigned to its care.
Important: This is not a general emergency shelter or a foster-family supply closet. Placement requires the appropriate child-welfare referral.
Interested in helping with Effingham harm reduction efforts?
Whether you want to help share resources, support local outreach, or bring a new idea to the table, I’d love to hear from you.
Put help within reach
Print it. Post it. Pass it on.
Share this QR code in bathrooms, community spaces, vehicles, first-aid kits, and anywhere someone may need private access to support.