Overview

• Four repurposed newsstands now offer free naloxone around the clock outside Nourishing Hope, Cornerstone Community Shelter, the Institute of Cultural Affairs, and the DFSS Uptown site.
• The rollout is a collaboration between the Chicago Department of Public Health and the 46th Ward with community hosts, unveiled Aug. 27 with Mayor Brandon Johnson and Health Commissioner Olusimbo Ige.
• Nearly 300 boxes of Narcan were distributed during the initial weeks of installation, according to the 46th Ward.
• Officials will track dispensing for 12 months to assess use and consider broader replication based on the findings.
• Uptown was selected using overdose data, and the effort complements Narcan stocked in all 81 library branches and city vending machines, as opioid-related EMS calls fell 24% in the first half of 2025 versus a year earlier.