Sixth annual event honors those lost, celebrates recovery, and calls for evidence-based care
DALLAS, November 15, 2025 — Hundreds will gather at The Sound (3111 Olympus Blvd, Dallas, TX 75019) for the Shatterproof Walk to End Addiction Stigma, a national event that brings families, friends, and advocates together to honor loved ones, celebrate recovery, and demand a stronger, more compassionate response to addiction.
Organized by the national nonprofit Shatterproof and supported by local companies and community leaders, the Walk is part of a six-city series that mobilized more than 5,000 participants in 2024 and raised over $1.5 million to transform how addiction is treated and understood.
Why It Matters
Drug overdose is now the leading cause of death for Americans ages 18–44 — claiming more lives than car accidents, gun violence, or cancer combined. One of the biggest barriers: stigma.
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57% of Americans believe people with substance use disorder aren’t trustworthy.
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74% don’t recognize addiction as a chronic medical illness.
This stigma forces families into silence and prevents people from seeking the evidence-based care that saves lives.
“Everybody knows someone impacted by addiction,” said Pam Jenkins, CEO of Shatterproof. “It’s time we end the silence, stop the judgment and shame, and bring addiction out of the shadows. Shatterproof is here to convene the many people who have been impacted and the many organizations making a difference locally. Overdose remains the number one killer of young and mid-life adults in the U.S. It impacts us all.”
By the Numbers: Dallas County & Texas
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In 2023, 628 overdose deaths were recorded in Dallas County, up from 347 in 2019 (≈ 81% increase)
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The number of nonfatal overdoses treated in hospitals rose from 2,419 in 2018 to 3,818 in 2023
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Over 260 deaths in Dallas County in recent years involved fentanyl as a confirmed contributing factor
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In Texas overall, drug poisoning deaths have increased over 75% in five years
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The Texas drug overdose death rate is 18.2 per 100,000 (vs. U.S. average) CDC
Event Details
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Date/Time: Saturday, November 15 | Check-in 8:00 AM • Program begins 9:30 AM • Walk at 10:00 AM • Ends ~11:00 AM
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Location: The Sound, 3111 Olympus Blvd, Dallas, TX 75019
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Program Highlights:
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Barry’s Bootcamp instructors leading a high-energy warm-up
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Mission Honorees sharing personal stories of impact and recovery
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Opening ceremony, motivation moment, and step-off at 10:00 AM
Visuals & Interviews
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Visuals: Dallas skyline or venue backdrop, honor wall, photos of loved ones, opening ceremony, crowd step-off
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Interviews: Pam Jenkins (CEO), emcee, community advocates, and families impacted by addiction
Media Logistics
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Best arrival time for media: 8:30 AM for pre-walk interviews and warm-up visuals
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Parking & Directions:
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On-site Media Contact: Kelsey Luchey, Logistics Lead | (410) 598-4945 | kluchey@shatterproof.org
ABOUT SHATTERPROOF
Shatterproof is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming the addiction treatment system in the U.S. Shatterproof guides families through the complexities of substance use disorder; informs the public on prevention, treatment, and recovery; and educates to reduce addiction stigma so people who use substances or have a substance use disorder can live healthy, fulfilled lives.
Find Shatterproof on Facebook, X, and YouTube: @ShatterproofHQ, Instagram: @weareshatterproof.
Learn more at www.Shatterproof.org.
Media Contact: Holly Jespersen, Senior Communications Manager | hjespersen@shatterproof.org | 646-334-1024
