Flint, Michigan – Behind Flint City Hall, a lawn usually associated with government business will become something different on Monday evening, a place to remember, reconnect and talk openly about recovery.
For three hours, families, people in recovery, treatment providers and community organizations will gather around a message that is intentionally simple: lives affected by overdose matter, recovery is possible, and help should be easier to find.
The City of Flint and Genesee Health System are hosting Overdose Awareness Day: Celebrate Life! on Monday, August 31, 2026, from 4 to 7 p.m. The event will take place on the outdoor lawn directly behind Flint City Hall at 1101 S. Saginaw St.
The gathering is designed to serve several purposes at once. It will honor people who have died from overdose, recognize those working through recovery, support families and loved ones affected by substance use, and connect residents directly with services available in the community.
This year, the event will also feature national recovery speaker Tony Hoffman, who is scheduled to deliver a message focused on recovery, resilience and hope.
Residents attending the event will find more than speeches and information tables. Organizers are bringing together free food trucks, music, giveaways, community resources, recovery supports and treatment providers. Organizations focused on health, healing and recovery will also be available to speak directly with residents.
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That face-to-face access is a central part of the event.
Rather than asking someone to search for assistance on their own, Overdose Awareness Day places treatment and recovery resources in one location, creating an opportunity for people to ask questions, learn what support is available and make connections with providers.
The event also fits into Flint’s broader focus on community-based responses to substance use and overdose. The city has continued working through partnerships aimed at connecting residents with prevention, treatment and recovery resources.
Organizers say gatherings such as this one can also help reduce stigma by making conversations about substance use, overdose and recovery more visible and accessible.
For families who have lost someone, the evening offers space for remembrance. For people currently navigating recovery, it offers recognition and connection. And for residents who may simply want to understand what help exists in Flint and Genesee County, it creates a direct entry point to local organizations and providers.
The message behind the event is summed up by its organizers in four short phrases: “Hope. Healing. Recovery. Together we can.”
Overdose Awareness Day: Celebrate Life! runs from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday, August 31, on the lawn behind Flint City Hall, 1101 S. Saginaw St.
For additional information, residents can contact Dante Jennings at [email protected] or 810-875-5632.
The event is presented by Genesee Health System and the City of Flint, with funding provided by Region 10 PIHP.