SAFE Project

SAFE Project (Stop the Addiction Fatality Epidemic) is a national nonprofit working through a disciplined, collaborative, multi-pronged and non-partisan approach to end the nation’s catastrophic opioid epidemic.

Like thousands of other families across the nation who lost a family member with substance use disorder, SAFE Project Co-Founders James “Sandy” and Mary Winnefeld were not alone in wanting answers to the myriad issues they faced together as a family.

SAFE Project was founded in November 2017 by Admiral James and Mary Winnefeld, following the loss of their 19-year old son Jonathan to an accidental opioid overdose. Read more about Jonathan Winnefeld.

The Winnefelds immediately channeled their grief into action, hoping to save more families from the pain of loss. Whether it was seeking treatment, getting answers, or understanding the nature of the disease – they knew there needed to be a different solution to help other families facing the same journey with substance use disorder.

They swiftly built our SAFE Project team of experts who strive for meaningful action through our programs, and lead efforts that are unifying, non-partisan and evidence-based. SAFE seeks meaningful metrics that strengthen our interdependent six lines of operation, and ultimately aim to achieve SAFE Communities and SAFE Campuses across the nation.