We could not do what we do if we didn’t have the inspiration from our own lives to drive our mission and vision.
Our Story
At Starting Point Rural Harm Reduction Collective, we are dedicated to treating every individual with dignity, compassion, and respect, regardless of circumstance. We seek to meet people where they are.
Our mission is to reduce harm and stigma through advocacy, outreach, empowerment, and providing direct, evidence-based services to individuals impacted by drug use, overdose(s), sex work, incarceration, and HIV/HCV.
Every member of the Starting Point team has been personally impacted by or witnessed the effects of drug use and mental illness. These experiences have driven them on their journeys of recovery and harm reduction. United by a passion for helping others and sharing their knowledge, they have come together to bring harm reduction services to rural North Carolina counties, where addiction, mental health challenges, overdoses, and infectious diseases are prevalent within the communities.
Ashley
Co-founder; Treasurer; Financial Management Team Member; Program Manager; and Person County Lead
Ashley Hale co-founded SPRHRC in 2020 alongside Maggie Hart, motivated by her personal experiences with mental health and substance use issues to achieve the goal of helping others and to share her experience, strength, and hope with her community.
As Treasurer, Ashley ensures compliance with the organization’s financial policies and procedures. Her responsibilities extend to operational duties, including mobile delivery, inventory management, social media development, program development, and client communications.
In her free time, Ashley enjoys music, gardening, and anything educational. She is a mom of teenagers and her family is her rock. She couldn’t do any of this without their support.
Abigail
Director of Compliance; Rockingham County Lead; Financial Management Team Member; Voting Board Member
Abigail Hedgecock, a native of Rockingham County, brings nearly a decade of experience in community engagement, non-profit management, and program development to SPRHRC. Her background includes providing community-based interventional services to justice-involved individuals and those with substance use disorders, problematic sexual behaviors, and complex psychiatric comorbidities.
Abigail became involved in harm reduction through her work with medication-assisted treatment clinics in Rockingham County. Recognizing the need for community collaboration and evidence-based practices, she joined SPRHRC.
As Director of Compliance, she ensures adherence to the organization’s 501(c)(3) status and North Carolina law § 90-113.27. Abigail also develops and implements policies, procedures, and programming and serves as the primary contact for client services in Rockingham County.
Maggie
Co-founder; President; Financial Management Team Member; and Alamance County Lead
Maggie Hart is the President and Co-founder of Starting Point RHRC. Her journey into harm reduction and community service was inspired by her person experiences overcoming addiction, mental illness, domestic violence, and homelessness.
Maggie holds an Associate of Applied Science in Human Services Technology from Wake Tech and graduated summa cum laude with a B.S. in Public Health from UNCG. She went on to earn her Peer Support Specialist (PSS) certification and began working in community mental health in Alamance County, serving vulnerable populations.
Driven by her experiences and the urgent need to address the opioid epidemic, Maggie co-founded SPRHRC with Ashley Hale in 2020. her mission is to enhance access to vital resources, reduce stigma, and foster education, strength, and compassion within the community.
As the Alamance County Lead, she oversees program implementation and supply distribution residents. Maggie currently lives in Alamance County with her 9-year-old son.
Brandi
Director of Community Engagement and Secretary
Brandi Neumann joined SPRHRC after witnessing the impact of addiction on her friends and family. Initially joining as Secretary, she quickly advanced to the Director of Community Engagement due to her dedication to building relationships with other non-profit organizations, funding agencies, and municipalities. Brandi uses these connections to educate community partners on the benefits of harm reduction.
As a medical assistant, Brandi has always valued helping others. Outside of her full-time work and contributions to SPRHRC, she enjoys spending time with her gamily which includes three children and three stepchildren. She is also an avid gamer and enjoys attending comic conventions.
Rachel
Voting Board Member
Rachel Aloma Marcus joined SPRHRC after overcoming her own battles with substance use and mental health. Discovering the transformative power of harm reduction, Rachel is committed to sharing its benefits and learning more about community-based advocacy and the nonprofit sector. Her personal journey is a testament to her resilience and dedication to doing better.
Throughout her recovery, Rachel has been supported by her father, her favorite person. She now has a fulfilling career working with school-aged children. Rachel enjoys Star Trek, Twin Peaks, and surrealist art and literature. She hopes her experiences and passion for harm reduction will contribute to creating a more equitable human landscape.