Founded in January 2023, Hope Above Fear is a young nonprofit with a powerful mission: to reduce substance use among youth through prevention, education, and empowerment. Led by Executive Director Stephanie Shepard, the organization began with a focus on fentanyl awareness and has quickly grown into a comprehensive, community-driven approach to substance abuse prevention.
“At the heart of Hope Above Fear’s work is a simple but courageous belief that we have to talk about it,” Shepard said. “Through our campaign, #LetsTalkAboutIt, we create space for honest conversations with parents, youth, and community members about the realities of substance use today.”
Shepard said the odds of purchasing a substance on the street that contains fentanyl are estimated at 50%. Many people don’t know what they’re buying, and the consequences can be devastating.
Expanding Awareness
Hope Above Fear operates four core program areas, beginning with Outreach and Awareness. The organization participates in and hosts community engagement events throughout the year, including Gallery Night, National Fentanyl Awareness Day, and International Overdose Awareness Day, partnering with organizations like Valerie’s House and other local nonprofits. These events honor lives lost, reduce stigma, and connect families to prevention resources, Narcan distribution, and support services.
Education is another cornerstone of the organization’s work. What began as a fentanyl awareness presentation for schools has evolved into a broader substance abuse education program, responding to emerging trends such as the rise in delta-8 poisonings among youth, Shepard said. While not always classified as overdoses, these incidents often involve seizures, vomiting, and extended periods of unconsciousness lasting 24–48 hours.
“The data are alarming,” Shepard said. “According to the Florida Department of Health, in Escambia County alone, there were 214 drug-overdose-related 911 calls involving youth ages 10–19 between January 1 and October 14 of this year. In 2024, there were 254 overdose-related calls for individuals 19 and under, and 2025 is on track to exceed that number. While these calls don’t always result in fatalities, they do indicate a growing number of young people needing emergency medical care.”
Nationally, the issue is just as concerning. One in four children has a parent who is suffering or has suffered from substance use disorder, and the average age of first-time substance use is just 13 years old. Shepard noted, “Drugs are something people don’t want to talk about, but kids already know about it, and they’re already having their own conversations.”
Creating Alternatives
Rather than lecturing teens, Hope Above Fear chooses to work with them. Their Choose Your Story program was designed directly from teen surveys and conversations asking one key question: What can our community do to discourage drug use? The answer was clear: give us something else to do.
Idle time, teens shared, is often filled by substances that are romanticized in media and social spaces. Choose Your Story provides free, substance-free experiences for youth ages 12–17, from creative workshops to outdoor activities, arts, sports, and more. Events are first-come, first-served, with no requirements to participate, making them accessible and welcoming.
This November, Hope Above Fear partnered with First City Arts to host a two-day creative workshop during fall break, supported by the Escambia Children’s Trust. Programs are intentionally designed to reach youth across all zip codes, recognizing that access and transportation can be a barrier. When possible, the organization provides gas gift cards and coordinates rides, helping teens safely explore opportunities beyond their immediate neighborhoods.
Supporting these efforts is the Youth Advisory Council (YAC), a diverse group of high school students from Century to Navarre who ensure youth voices are centered in every decision. In this space, teens aren’t just participants, they’re leaders.
Second Chances and a Path Forward
Hope Above Fear is also expanding its impact through Better Without It, an eight-week diversion program for first-time drug offenders in Escambia County schools. Rather than punitive expulsion, students participate in mindfulness-based classes that explore decision-making, stressors in their lives, and healthier coping strategies. Currently piloted at Escambia High School, Pensacola High School, and Northview High School, the goal is to expand district-wide by August 2026.
The organization recently signed a lease for a new space, opening doors for additional programming and deeper partnerships with the school district, including diversion classes offered directly to students.
Strengthening the Foundation
Hope Above Fear is led by a small but deeply committed team. Shepard serves full-time with only a stipend, supported by two part-time prevention coordinators funded through the Escambia Children’s Trust. As the organization grows, so do the demands, particularly around financial management, communications, and data security.
United Way of West Florida is proud to support Hope Above Fear as they turn awareness into action and help our youth choose hope over fear, today and for years to come.