LA CROSSE, Wis. (WXOW) - The Coulee Recovery Center in La Crosse held a powerful event aimed at raising awareness about overdose deaths and addiction issues in the community.

Dubbed "Smash the Stigma," the event brought together local residents, advocates, and those affected by addiction to confront the challenges associated with substance abuse and mental health.

A resource fair with 11 different organizations were there for individuals who may be seeking information about any treatment options.

One of those organizations at the event is Clean Slate. It's an organization that specializes in Opioid and Alcohol treatment through medications.

"Medicated assisted treatment and the medications that we provide, it does help with cravings, it helps with getting more stabilized with getting off the opioid addiction or alcohol addiction. It does help with the chemicals in your brain", says Danielle Wegman, Community Relations Liaison for Clean Slate.

The event is called Smash The Stigma because the organizers wanted to address the stigma around addiction and change the way people think about it.

"Just because someone is using or has used in the past doesn't necessarily mean that they're a bad person", says Korbin Huser who is interning at the Coulee Recovery Center. "Substance abuse can often time be described as a disease and for many individuals it is a disease that they don't have control over. so understanding that we're all in this together and then smashing that stigma around the blame of addiction."

Smash the Stigma really hammers home the importance of community support, emphasizing that help is readily available for those struggling with addiction.