Executive Director of Northreach Melissa Byers and a TEDxGrandePrairie talk last year. (Photo: TEDxGrandePrairie)

By Emily Keller

northreach society

Northreach to say goodbye to Executive Director Melissa Byers

Jun 14, 2020 | 7:00 AM

The Northreach Society will be saying goodbye to Executive Director Melissa Byers this month.

Last week, they announced that Byers would be leaving the organization.

Byers says that over her seven years with Northreach, there were highlights, but also lowlights that necessitated for things such as the Supervised Consumption Site and other programs they offer.

“I think when we saw the oil crash in 2014, the population of individuals we serve spiked, and the population of people using opioids spiked as well, which brought in the need for those services, so, I guess as a leader of an organization, I’m really grateful that we were able to open those services, (and) create a foundation for them in our community.”

Last March, the Northreach Society opened and began operating their mobile Supervised Consumption Site. They also offer STI testing, resources for sex workers, harm reduction resources, and needle pick up.

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Byers says the work of their organization will still be needed to make the community better.

“The more people might come forward, and start engaging with services and maybe, find hope and healing in that versus feeling shamed and stigmatized and hidden. So, I think the work of the organization and my work is not done, I think we still have a long way to go to help heal our communities and ourselves.”

Her last day will be June 19, and Johnathon Fortune, currently the Assistant Executive Director, will take over her position in the interim.