Council approves $3,000 for Health Advisory Board outreach including Black Poster Project

The Township of Washington Council approved $3,000 in the 2025 budget to support the Health Advisory Board's outreach, including the Black Poster Project and speaker events, council members said Tuesday.

Board member Andrea DeShore described the Black Poster Project as a displayed collection of posters and personal stories that memorialize people lost to overdose and said it had been hosted in nearby communities with police, families and residents in attendance. "It really is a good time for the community to come together and for people to see that these are not just faceless, nameless people," DeShore said.

The Health Advisory Board asked for funding to cover the $1,500 cost of bringing the Black Poster Project to a large venue and for additional speakers and promotion for mental-health and addiction-awareness events aimed at seniors and the broader community. The board and staff also said they had consulted the town's grant writer but had been declined for a grant to cover the event; the council therefore approved the $3,000 line.

A council member noted the board had not finalized venues or dates and the board said it would return with specifics before events are publicized. One board member who participates in town committees said she would abstain if voting created a conflict with her organizational role; other council members voted in favor.

Why it matters: The Black Poster Project and speaker series are intended to raise local awareness about addiction and overdose, provide public education, and connect residents to mental-health resources.