Truth Pharm

What Truth Pharm does

Truth Pharm, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit harm reduction organization founded in February 2015 in Binghamton, New York by Alexis Pleus following the death of her son to an opioid overdose. The organization serves people affected by substance use disorder, their families, healthcare providers, schools, and broader communities across New York (Southern Tier, Chenango County, Sherburne-Earlville) and Los Angeles, California. Its mission centers on reducing the harms of substance use through an artistic, non-traditional approach combining direct services, education, advocacy, and grassroots community mobilization.

The organization's core service portfolio comprises twelve distinct program lines delivered through a staff of 11 plus a structured volunteer corps called Rainmakers. Key programs include Narcan training and distribution (with a regional Naloxbox network across Broome County), the Never Use Alone NY 24/7 telephone hotline (staffed by trained volunteer operators who dispatch EMS if a caller becomes unresponsive), the science-based School Programs using Botvin LifeSkills Training modules for K-12 audiences, the Clearing the Confusion 10-week family education curriculum, the Harm Reduction Works online support group, Community Art Hours, and the See Me, Hear Me, Treat Me clinical training program co-developed with the HEALing Communities Study at Columbia University. The flagship advocacy initiative is the Trail of Truth National movement—a touring memorial cemetery of handmade tombstones that has appeared at major political events including the Republican National Convention and Congressional hearings, with over 1,200 individuals memorialized and 15,000+ people reached at the 2022 Washington D.C. event. The technology stack is minimal: no SaaS platform, no mobile app, no API, and no disclosed AI/ML capabilities—all services are delivered in-person or via telephone by staff and volunteers.

The business model is a nonprofit funding mix comprising individual donations (via PayPal, Venmo, CashApp, Facebook, and check), foundation and government grants (including the Opioid Use Cohort Management project with Lourdes Hospital and a Smart Energy Choices mural grant), event-based fundraising (annual Drive For Change golf tournament at $350/team and $90/individual, basket raffles), and modest program service fees from consulting and education engagements. All direct client services are provided free of charge. The go-to-market is community-led and event-driven: Rainmaker volunteers conduct canvassing, tabling, and Narcan distribution; institutional partnerships (Lourdes Hospital, Binghamton University, SUNY campuses) extend reach; and large public events (Trail of Truth, rallies at the State Capitol and Supreme Court) serve as awareness, fundraising, and policy advocacy platforms. The organization maintains coast-to-coast geographic presence with deep local roots in upstate New York.

Name

Truth Pharm

Legal name

Truth Pharm, Inc.

Website

https://truthpharm.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Truth Pharm is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit harm reduction organization founded in 2015 in Binghamton, NY that delivers Narcan training, the Never Use Alone NY hotline, school and family education programs, and the Trail of Truth National advocacy movement to people affected by substance use disorder, families, healthcare providers, and communities across New York and Los Angeles.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Harm Reduction Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGACAE

Substance Use Disorder Prevention & Recovery Services

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Health & Medical Nonprofits

SECONDARYBPAGAEAO

Substance Use Recovery & Harm Reduction Support Services

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Social Services & Community Support (Food, Housing, Family)

SECONDARYEDAAAHAL

Substance Use Prevention & Recovery Lifestyle Education (Non-clinical)

Education/Adult & Continuing Education/Health, Wellness & Lifestyle Education (Nutrition, Fitness, Mindfulness)

Keywords

• Harm reduction services
• Overdose prevention training
• Naloxone distribution
• Substance use education
• Opioid advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Binghamton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Truth Pharm accepts tax-deductible donations from individuals via PayPal, Venmo, CashApp, Facebook, and check. Donations are used to fund programs, advocacy, and services. The organization states every dollar is carefully used to create the biggest impact.
2. Foundation and Grant Funding: Truth Pharm receives grant funding from organizations including government grants (e.g., Opioid Cohort project through Lourdes Hospital), foundation grants (e.g., Smart Energy Choices / Ithaca Murals for mural project), and sponsorships. Financials page links to 990 forms for years 2015-2019.
3. Event-Based Fundraising: The organization hosts fundraising events including an annual Drive For Change golf tournament ($350/team, $90/individual), basket raffles, and the Trail of Truth events. Community members can also create their own fundraisers in memory of loved ones or to celebrate recovery.
4. Program Service Fees: Truth Pharm provides consulting and education services to schools, medical professionals, businesses, and community organizations. The organization has received funding through its Opioid Use Cohort Management project with Lourdes Hospital and area partners.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Truth Pharm is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit harm reduction organization that provides free community services to address the opioid and overdose epidemic, including Narcan training and distribution, a 24/7 hotline for individuals using alone, school and family education programs, support groups, and policy advocacy at local, state, and national levels. The organization operates direct service programs in New York's Southern Tier and Los Angeles while running a national advocacy movement (Trail of Truth) to destigmatize substance use disorder.

Product overview

Truth Pharm is a nonprofit harm reduction organization offering a portfolio of educational, advocacy, and direct services rather than a unified software product. Core offerings include Narcan training and distribution, the Never Use Alone NY hotline, School Programs with science-based addiction education, and the Clearing the Confusion 10-week family education curriculum. The organization runs Harm Reduction Works support groups, Community Art Hours, and the Trail of Truth National advocacy movement. Direct client services include care coordination, referrals, and trauma-informed support. Consulting and Informed Speakers services round out the portfolio. These programs are free community-facing services delivered by staff and volunteer Rainmakers, with no SaaS platform, mobile app, or API product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Trail of Truth National: National movement and memorial event featuring handmade tombstones to memorialize loved ones lost to substance use and advocate for policy change.
• Rainmakers
• Never Use Alone NY
• Jamison Turkow Memorial Walk

Products and services

• Trail of Truth National A national advocacy and remembrance campaign that displays life-sized cutouts of people lost to overdose at high-profile political and civic events to humanize the overdose crisis and push for evidence-based policy change. It is offered to communities, policymakers, and media nationwide as a public awareness program.
• Narcan Training and Distribution Free in-person training sessions that teach community members, families, and professionals how to recognize an opioid overdose and administer naloxone (Narcan), with kits made available to trainees. The program is offered to the general public, families, and partner organizations.
• Never Use Alone NY Hotline A 24/7 toll-free telephone hotline (1-877-696-1996) staffed by trained operators who remain on the line with individuals while they use substances, to summon help if they become unresponsive. It is offered free of charge to individuals who use substances and want a safety net while doing so.
• School Programs Science-based educational presentations on the neuroscience of addiction, harm reduction, and the social impact of the War on Drugs, delivered to K-12 schools, colleges, and parent groups. The programs are offered to school districts, individual schools, and family associations.
• Clearing the Confusion A 10-week educational course covering drug classifications, the disease model of addiction, signs of substance use, and treatment options, designed to give families a foundational understanding of substance use disorder. It is offered to families and community members seeking structured learning.
• Community Art Hours Biweekly in-person community art sessions hosted by Truth Pharm for participants to create memorial pieces, harm reduction artwork, and to connect with others affected by substance use. The sessions are offered free of charge to community members.
• Naloxbox Program A program that installs publicly accessible Naloxbox units stocked with naloxone in community locations so that bystanders can respond to a suspected overdose before emergency services arrive. It is offered to municipalities, businesses, and community organizations that want to host a unit.
• Harm Reduction Works Support Group Open, non-judgmental support group meetings for individuals and families affected by substance use disorder, providing peer support and connection to resources. The group is offered free of charge to community members.
• Direct Services Person-centered direct services that connect individuals to harm reduction supplies, treatment, recovery housing, and basic needs, delivered through street outreach and referrals. The service is offered to community members affected by substance use and homelessness.
• Consulting Services Fee-based consulting engagements that help healthcare and community organizations launch, expand, or improve harm reduction programs, drawing on Truth Pharm's operational experience. The service is offered to hospitals, treatment providers, and community organizations.
• Informed Speakers Bureau A roster of trained speakers with lived and professional experience who deliver presentations on addiction, harm reduction, and the overdose crisis. The bureau is offered to schools, conferences, healthcare organizations, and community groups booking speaking engagements.
• See Me, Hear Me, Treat Me Program A hospital partnership program developed with Lourdes Hospital to eliminate stigma and improve the treatment experience of patients with substance use disorder in clinical settings, including provider bias elimination and patient advocacy. The program is offered to hospital systems and clinical teams.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,200 individuals memorialized and up to 15,000 people reached through a single Trail of Truth National event
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) at Binghamton UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 February 2024Truth Pharm partnered with Binghamton University's SSDP chapter to train students as certified Narcan trainers through Train the Trainer workshops. AmeriCorps member Ben Glick charters the SSDP chapter to promote harm reduction policies on campus, distributing Narcan, fentanyl and xylazine test strips, and collecting overdose reports through anonymous forms.
• HEALing Communities Study (Columbia University)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 December 2023The HEALing Communities Study, founded by Columbia University and funded through a major initiative, sponsored the See Me, Hear Me, Treat Me program. Alexis Pleus was one of the developers of this program, which aims to eliminate bias and stigma, expand access to MOUD treatment, and improve service delivery. The program was developed through surveys and retreats with people who have experience obtaining medication for opioid use disorder.
• Lourdes HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 December 2023Truth Pharm delivered the See Me, Hear Me, Treat Me presentation at Lourdes Hospital and previously collaborated on the Opioid Use Cohort Management project to improve healthcare for people with opioid use disorder. Truth Pharm also provided stigma reduction training at Lourdes and staff have experienced discrimination at Binghamton General Hospital, advocating for better care at Lourdes.
• Sackler P.A.I.N.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 December 2020Alexis Pleus was invited by Nan Goldin and Sackler P.A.I.N. (Painkillers, Addiction, Intervention, Nations) to provide personal video testimony during a Congressional House Committee on Oversight and Reform hearing on holding Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family accountable for their role in the overdose epidemic.
• Never Use AlonecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 December 2020Truth Pharm partnered with Never Use Alone to launch the Never Use Alone New York hotline, a 24/7 service staffed by trained New York harm reductionists for people who use drugs alone. Trained volunteer operators stay on the call and dispatch EMS if the caller becomes unresponsive. The first group of operators was trained and launched the hotline at phone number 1-800-997-2280.
• New York State Harm Reduction Association (NYSHRA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 November 2020Truth Pharm's Executive Director Alexis Pleus is a founding member and co-chair of NYSHRA, a membership association founded on harm reduction principles. NYSHRA was formed to leverage advocacy, public policy, and clinical expertise to effect social change in New York State. Truth Pharm is one year old as of November 2020.
• WBDY Binghamton Community RadiominorGTM or Marketing PartnerWBDY recorded Truth Pharm's Trail of Truth event in Binghamton, NY and created a full hour show featuring the event, which was broadcast to expand reach of the organization's message.
• Housing Works Inc.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHousing Works Inc. partnered with Truth Pharm in January 2024 at a rally at the State Capitol during Governor Hochul's State of the State address, where activists called for overdose prevention programs and funds to address the opioid epidemic.
• New York Recovery AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew York Recovery Alliance participated alongside Truth Pharm in a rally at the State Capitol in January 2024 as part of broader coalition advocacy for overdose prevention programs.
• Ithaca Murals / Smart Energy ChoicesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrant funding from Ithaca Murals and Smart Energy Choices enabled the creation of Truth Pharm's mural on their building. Truth Pharm was one of 16 mural projects funded through the Thriving Futures Mural Initiative, all themed around building a future where people and environments thrive.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Drug Policy Alliance: The largest U.S. organization promoting drug policy reform and harm reduction, with national reach and state-level affiliates. Absorbed the Harm Reduction Coalition in 2020. Overlaps with Truth Pharm across advocacy, Narcan access, and overdose prevention but operates at much broader scale and across all 50 states.
• Shatterproof: National nonprofit focused on ending addiction stigma and expanding evidence-based treatment access. Comparable to Truth Pharm in advocacy and education but operates as a larger, broader-incumbent treatment-system reform organization rather than a community-delivery harm reduction nonprofit.

Direct peers

• Housing Works: New York-based nonprofit providing housing, harm reduction, and advocacy services for people living with HIV/AIDS, substance use, and homelessness. Direct peer to Truth Pharm in harm reduction service delivery, NY geography, and Capitol-rally advocacy (confirmed direct co-rally partnership).
• VOCAL-NY: New York-based grassroots coalition that organizes people with substance use, HIV, and hepatitis C to advance harm reduction and drug policy reform. Directly comparable to Truth Pharm in mission, geography, and advocacy posture; both rally at the State Capitol and lobby on opioid settlement allocation.
• Harm Reduction Coalition: Historically the leading U.S. harm reduction training and capacity-building nonprofit, now a program of the Drug Policy Alliance. Directly comparable to Truth Pharm across syringe access, Naloxone distribution, and peer-led service models, with a national rather than regional footprint.
• New York Recovery Alliance: New York statewide coalition of recovery and harm reduction organizations. Documented direct rally co-partner with Truth Pharm at the 2024 State Capitol overdose prevention rally. Peer in scope, NY geography, and policy advocacy on settlement funds and overdose prevention centers.
• A New PATH (Parents for Addiction Treatment & Healing): California-based parent-led nonprofit focused on reducing overdose deaths and supporting families affected by addiction through education, Naloxone training, and advocacy. Directly comparable to Truth Pharm in mission, peer-led family support model, and harm reduction education delivery, with a West Coast operating base that mirrors Truth Pharm's CA presence.
• Never Use Alone: National 24/7 overdose prevention hotline (1-800-997-2280) that Truth Pharm directly partnered with to launch the state-branded Never Use Alone NY. Same functional model — trained volunteer operators stay on the line during drug use and dispatch EMS if the caller becomes unresponsive.
• Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP): International student-led organization advocating for harm reduction and drug policy reform. Truth Pharm actively partnered with the Binghamton University SSDP chapter to charter campus harm reduction activity, making it both a peer and an operational partner.

Regional players

• North Carolina Harm Reduction Coalition: Statewide harm reduction nonprofit operating Naloxone distribution, syringe access, and drug checking programs across North Carolina. Comparable to Truth Pharm in operational service mix (Naloxone training, harm reduction supplies, advocacy), but functionally a regional rather than direct geographic competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/truthpharm
• Facebookfacebook.com/TruthPharm
• Instagraminstagram.com/truthpharm
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/truth-pharm

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Truth Pharm