David’s New Day is a tax-exempt nonprofit organization based out of Bucks County, dedicated to spreading awareness and hope in the face of addiction. We formed in early 2014, after the passing of my younger brother, David Ramsey, from addiction at 30 years old. Though we miss David every single day, his memory and generous spirit live on through our organization.
Drug addiction, and more specifically opiate addiction, has skyrocketed over the past few years. Unfortunately, its rise did not lead to the same increase in available funding or resources. My brother David got treatment for his addiction for a few short weeks, but he was discharged after funding was depleted. He passed away shortly thereafter.
Our goal is to be able to direct individuals to resources in our local community that will guide them or their loved one to the path of recovery. And ultimately, through fundraising and kind donations, to subsidize the cost of treatment for those who need it but can’t afford it.
The name of our organization, David’s New Day, came from one of the last conversations David had with my husband. Always free with his emotions, David expressed the guilt he carried regarding his past. Despite all he had and all who loved him, the guilt seemed insurmountable at times. He felt it prevented him from seeing what a new day could be like. We are hopeful that through our organization, we will be giving someone the ability to see that new day.
In our short 18 months in existence, we have managed to raise over $16,000 and we are going strong. We encourage you to visit our website, www.davidsnewday.org and our page on Facebook to learn more about us, as well as our upcoming events. We will be holding our 2nd annual 5k Run/ 1 Mile Fun Walk at Warminster Community Park on 10/10/15.
About the contributor: Julie R. Smith is the President and Board Member of David’s New Day. She is also a Sr. Account Executive at Independence Blue Cross, a health insurance company, where she has worked since 2003. Julie graduated from University of Pittsburgh with dual bachelors’ degree in Communication and English Writing. Julie currently resides in Bucks County, Pennsylvania with her husband and two children.