Central Oregon
Harm Reduction Coalition
What is Harm Reduction?
Harm reduction meets people where they are.
It’s a set of practical strategies aimed at reducing the risks associated with drug use — without requiring someone to quit first.
Most approaches to drug use offer two options: “Don’t do drugs” or “Stop using drugs.” For everyone in between, harm reduction bridges that gap — providing the knowledge, skills, and tools to stay safer right now.
It was born from community. People who use drugs and people engaged in sex work built harm reduction themselves, caring for each other during the HIV crisis. It’s deeply rooted in Disability Justice, Black and Brown Liberation, and LGBTQIA+ activism — movements that have always centered the people most left behind by traditional systems.
Who is the Central Oregon Harm Reduction Coalition?
Central Oregon Harm Reduction Coalition (COHRC) is a collection of people from mutual aid groups in Central Oregon.
We work with Redmond Street Kitchen, Bend Equity Project, Mutual Eggs, South County Collective Action, and Community Partners of Central Oregon.
Our goal is to decrease or prevent the risks and deaths related to substance use by distributing harm reduction supplies with dignity, autonomy, and consistency.