> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://news.opioidpolicy.org/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Fox 17 WXMI (27 May 2026) - URL: https://news.opioidpolicy.org/fox-17-wxmi-27-may-2026/ - Published: 2026-05-27T15:17:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-07-23T15:20:04.000Z - Description: East Grand Rapids has approximately $42,871 in settlement funds that have yet to be used - Author: Jonathan JK Stoltman (PhD) - Tags: In the News, Policy, Opioid Settlement Money # ['People are dying right now': Advocates say unused opioid settlement money could save lives](https://www.fox17online.com/news/local-news/east-grand-rapids-forest-hills-cascade/people-are-dying-right-now-advocates-say-unused-opioid-settlement-money-could-save-lives) # Here at OPI, every opioid settlement dollar matters. Even just $10,000/year. In addition to our national work, we keep a close eye on local spending (or not spending) to help try to steer it towards helpful uses. > Dr. Jonathan Stoltman with the Opioid Policy Institute recently brought concerns about unspent funds to the East Grand Rapids City Commission. > > "If even half of that went to a group like the Red Project (a Grand Rapids based syring service program), that money would go to work immediately, helping save lives, as opposed to sitting there for a couple of years and people are dying," Stoltman said. [‘People are dying right now’: Advocates say unused opioid settlement money could save livesCommunities across Michigan have received millions of dollars through opioid settlements, but advocates say some money is still sitting unspent while organizations working with addiction and recovery could use it to save lives.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/96/d5/96d508b5-cdb3-41b4-8b42-c402c3098b68/content/images/icon/favicon-32x32-16262320-8288-44bf-afce-96d61c200876.png)FOX 17 West Michigan News (WXMI)Cassandra Alonso![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/96/d5/96d508b5-cdb3-41b4-8b42-c402c3098b68/content/images/thumbnail/90-277b948d-a394-45b3-90c3-c4f899230ac3)](https://www.fox17online.com/news/local-news/east-grand-rapids-forest-hills-cascade/people-are-dying-right-now-advocates-say-unused-opioid-settlement-money-could-save-lives) [Support Our Work ❤️](https://donate.stripe.com/cN2g1p3jIdrw1W0cMM)