Reflecting on a Year of National Impact: Advancing Addiction Stigma Reduction Across Communities

In 2025, Shatterproof’s National Stigma Initiative advanced a people-centered movement to change how substance use disorder (SUD) is understood across the country. Our collective efforts reached more than 27.8 million Americans with 45 million engagements across influencer collaborations, digital advertising, and organic social media. 

We activated 46 collaborations with social media influencers who started meaningful dialogues with their audiences and welcomed 71 new community organizations as partners. Together, we promoted education and resources and strengthened stigma reduction efforts nationwide.  

Take a look at the campaigns and campaign stories from across the country. 

Unshame North Carolina 

In July 2025, Shatterproof launched Unshame North Carolina with a clear goal to connect with communities across the state and reduce stigma surrounding substance use disorder. The campaign focused on building meaningful relationships, partnering with local organizations, and uplifting powerful stories that educate and inspire. By centering lived experience and community collaboration, Unshame NC helped foster more open conversations about SUD and reinforced the importance of compassion and understanding in supporting recovery across North Carolina. 

Unshame California 

Throughout 2025, Unshame California deepened its presence across the state by showing up in communities, listening closely, and amplifying lived experience. The campaign engaged Californians through Shatterproof Walks, community events, trauma informed story collection days, and meaningful collaborations with a diverse group of Californians, including veterans, medical professionals, advocates, and families. Storytelling expanded within digital platforms by developing content for Spanish-speaking Californians, but also beyond digital platforms through film festival participation and the production of Unshame CA’s first documentary, set to premiere in 2026. Together with a new cohort of community leaders and storytellers, Unshame CA reinforced that lasting stigma reduction begins with trust, representation, and shared humanity. 

Georgia Recovers 

Georgia Recovers, a public awareness campaign focused on transforming how substance use disorder (SUD) is understood and treated across the state, concluded a 26-month engagement led by Shatterproof. Working alongside more than 80 community organizations, the campaign reached Georgia residents by elevating personal stories, expanding knowledge, and reinforcing recovery as an attainable path. Guided by data from the Shatterproof Addiction Stigma Index and local partner insight, Georgia Recovers paired community voice with evidence-based strategy to support a new way to discuss and understand substance use disorder and recovery. Through digital outreach, live events, and tailored social media content, the campaign built trust and lasting connections that will continue to educate and inspire communities across Georgia. 

United Michigan 

Throughout 2025, United Michigan highlighted the resilience and compassion shaping the state’s response to substance use and addiction. Across communities, this campaign worked to advance overdose prevention, strengthen recovery supports, and expand awareness to life saving resources through innovative strategies, like having MI-based social media influencers participate in naloxone trainings on Instagram Live. By uplifting stories of care, creativity, and connection, the campaign emphasized a people centered approach to addressing substance use disorder and supported a vision for Michigan where dignity and community guide the way forward. 

Life Unites Us (Pennsylvania) 

From August through December, Shatterproof supported Life Unites Us, a Pennsylvania stigma-reduction campaign facilitated in collaboration with the Public Good Projects and Penn State Harrisburg, during a period of community engagement and growth. The campaign strengthened partnerships across the Commonwealth, supported local organizations through its Community Grant Program, and delivered consistent education and connection through community outreach and newsletters. This work built on a strong foundation of collaboration and investment in local solutions, reinforcing the importance of people centered approaches to reducing stigma and supporting communities impacted by substance use disorder. 

Together, these campaigns demonstrate the collective power of storytelling, partnership, and compassion. While each effort was shaped by its local context, all shared a common purpose: to humanize substance use disorder, elevate lived experience, and drive lasting change across systems and communities nationwide. 

To ask questions or stay connected with our work across the country, reach out to us anytime at endstigma@Shatterproof.org.