What happens when a family’s devastating loss becomes the catalyst for transforming how America fights the addiction epidemic?
For Admiral James “Sandy” Winnefeld and his wife Mary, the answer came in November 2017 when they founded SAFE Project following the accidental overdose death of their 19-year-old son Jonathan.
Rather than retreat into grief, they channeled their pain into purpose, creating a national nonprofit built on a powerful premise: breaking down the silos that prevent effective collaboration in addiction prevention, treatment, and recovery.
At Full Sail Media, we’re honored to spotlight SAFE Project as our September 2025 Changemaker community partner. This month, we spoke with CEO Jeff Horwitz about the organization’s unique approach to tackling one of our nation’s most complex challenges.
Each month, our Changemaker initiative celebrates organizations making profound differences in their communities and beyond.
These partners demonstrate how strategic thinking, collaborative action, and unwavering commitment can address even the most daunting societal problems—and SAFE Project exemplifies this through their comprehensive, multi-sector approach to ending the addiction epidemic.
From Personal Loss to National Leadership: The SAFE Project Origin Story
The founding of SAFE Project represents one of the most powerful examples of transforming personal tragedy into systemic change. When Admiral Winnefeld, who served as the ninth Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Mary lost Jonathan after 14 months of treatment, they recognized a fundamental flaw in how America approaches addiction.
“As a result of that loss, they realized that there are too many problems where we’re not working as a community to build the village to be most successful to tackle addiction,” explains Jeff Horwitz, CEO of SAFE Project. “They created a nonprofit based on the premise that we need to be collaborative in our actions as well as collaborative in our work.”
This collaborative philosophy drives everything SAFE Project does. As Horwitz emphasizes, “What I mean by that is: if we’re working on prevention, we also have to consider treatment, recovery, law enforcement, prescription drugs, public awareness—all those things at the same time. And if we’re going to go out there and work, we’ve got to break down the silos.”
The organization’s approach recognizes a harsh reality that many in the field acknowledge but few address systematically: “There’s a lot of good people doing work, but unless we collaborate and work together, we will not succeed.”
Four Pillars of Impact
SAFE Project’s structure reflects their commitment to addressing addiction from every angle through four major divisions, each targeting critical populations and environments:
SAFE Campuses: Transforming College Culture
The collegiate environment presents unique challenges and opportunities in addiction prevention and recovery support. SAFE Campuses works alongside students and staff to foster supportive environments that promote mental health, recovery, and holistic well-being.
Their flagship program demonstrates the power of peer leadership. “In the colleges and universities, the most impactful program at this point is our fellowship program: a one-year fellowship for students in recovery or allies of students in recovery,” Horwitz explains.
“We’re now starting our 8th year, taking 50 students annually through a fellowship where they do a project for their school as well as learn leadership and community connection.”
The numbers speak to their campus impact: over 500 campuses served nationwide, more than 500 trainers equipped with naloxone and allyship training skills, over 8,000 fentanyl test strips distributed, and more than 3,000 naloxone kits distributed to help save lives.
SAFE Veterans: Addressing Military-Connected Vulnerability
Veterans face disproportionate risks in the addiction crisis, being twice as likely to die from an accidental overdose than any other member of society. SAFE Veterans addresses the unique challenges facing military-connected individuals and their families.
“We’re very proud of our Wellness Training. It’s a one-day training that teaches veterans and military-connected families to identify their true best self, recognize their triggers, and apply coping mechanisms,” Horwitz shares. The results are remarkable: “We’ve found that 97% of participants can identify their emotional triggers and apply coping mechanisms that are not alcohol or drug related.”
This program addresses the cultural barriers within military communities where seeking help is often perceived as weakness, providing practical tools for resilience while honoring military values of strength and self-reliance.
SAFE Communities: Building Local Solutions
Understanding that addiction affects entire communities, SAFE Communities partners with local leaders to create comprehensive, evidence-based responses. Their approach leverages national expertise while respecting local needs and cultures.
“In our communities portfolio, while we focus on naloxone distribution, Narcan education, and innovative training, the program we’re most proud of is our forensic peer program,” explains Horwitz. This initiative “trains peer support specialists to work directly with returning citizens and incarcerated individuals, addressing one of the most vulnerable populations at risk of re-entry into the justice system and substance use recurrence.”
SAFE Workplaces: Changing Corporate Culture
With addiction affecting workplaces across all industries, SAFE Workplaces provides employers and employees with tools to address behavioral health challenges. Their work has been particularly impactful in high-risk industries.
“In our workplaces portfolio, we are particularly proud of our public awareness work. For example, we’ve focused heavily on the construction industry, where overdose rates are significantly higher than in desk-job sectors,” Horwitz notes. “Through our work, naloxone in the workplace has become accepted, and leadership is recognizing the need to address invisible injuries and talk openly with employees about harmful medications.”
Their impact reaches over one million people, with training and workshops affecting over 50 companies, trade unions, and business leaders across more than 30 states.
Overcoming Society’s Greatest Barrier: Stigma
Perhaps SAFE Project’s most essential work involves confronting the stigma that prevents people from seeking help and communities from acknowledging addiction’s presence.
Horwitz identifies this as their greatest challenge: “The biggest challenge is stigma. People often believe substance use won’t affect them or their community. But the reality is that 75% of people know someone who has either overdosed or is struggling with substance use, whether alcohol or drugs.”
This disconnect between reality and perception creates barriers to effective intervention. As Horwitz observed at a professional conference, “When we asked, ‘How many of you have this problem at work?’ no one raised their hand. But when we asked, ‘How many of you know somebody?’ every hand went up. That moment really underscored the stigma.”
To address this fundamental barrier, SAFE Project developed the No Shame Pledge, which asks for four simple commitments:
- Understand that addiction is a disease
- Learn the factors that can lead to it,
- Help someone find treatment if needed
- Support those in recovery.
The Power of Collaboration
What sets SAFE Project apart is their commitment to collaboration over competition.
“Collaboration is essential to what we do,” emphasizes Horwitz. “Our basic premise is that if someone is doing something nationally, we’ll do everything we can to expand or showcase that experience. Our goal is to save lives, not just to exist as an organization.”
This philosophy extends to addressing counterproductive competition within the nonprofit sector. “We also spend significant time trying to stop competition and infighting between nonprofits and for-profits,” Horwitz explains, describing how they encourage organizations to focus on unified messaging rather than territorial disputes.
Their partnership approach has yielded significant results, including collaborations with Partnership to End Addiction on treatment and recovery housing locators, demonstrating how strategic partnerships can amplify impact beyond what any single organization could achieve.
How You Can Join the SAFE Movement
SAFE Project offers numerous ways for individuals, organizations, and communities to get involved in their life-saving work:
Take the No Shame Pledge:
- Commit to understanding addiction as a disease and supporting those affected
- Help break down stigma in your community and workplace
- Learn about the factors that contribute to substance use disorders
Volunteer Opportunities:
- Support naloxone training and education in your community
- Help spread stigma awareness through advocacy and education
- Participate in community surveys and data collection efforts
Professional and Organizational Partnerships:
- Implement SAFE Workplaces programs in your business or industry
- Partner with SAFE Communities for local prevention and response initiatives
- Bring SAFE Campus programming to your college or university
Support Ongoing Campaigns:
- Follow and support their upcoming “Life’s a Party” campaign focusing on fentanyl education
- Participate in Recovery Month and Prevention Month events
- Support ongoing fundraising efforts, including Jonathan’s brother’s Marine Corps Marathon training
Access Free Resources:
- Utilize their comprehensive online training programs for opioid overdose response, fentanyl safety, and recovery allyship
- Download their Community Playbook for local organizing and response planning
- Access the SAFE Solutions platform for cutting-edge research and best practices
At Full Sail Media, we’re inspired by organizations like SAFE Project that demonstrate how personal tragedy can become a force for transformational change. Just as we work alongside businesses to break down silos and create collaborative growth strategies, SAFE Project shows how breaking down institutional barriers can save lives and strengthen communities.
Their work reminds us that the most complex challenges require the most comprehensive responses—and that when we work together across sectors, disciplines, and perspectives, we can achieve what seems impossible.
To learn more about SAFE Project and their programs, visit safeproject.us or follow their social media channels for updates on their ongoing work to save lives and support recovery.
