Increasing Awareness. Educating the Public. Erasing Stigma.
Families United for Change (FUFC) was founded in 2019 by Marianne Sinisi after the tragic loss of her son, Shawn, to an Opioid overdose following repeated systemic failures. Shawn, along with so many others, was failed by stigma, inadequate treatment options, & ineffective rehabilitation practices. FUFC was born from the belief that coming together for change can help others find hope, healing, & pathways to recovery.
Our Ultimate Goal
FUFC exists as a trusted resource & safe space for individuals & families impacted by substance use disorders, whether they are seeking support for a loved one, a friend, or themselves.
Through education, awareness, & advocacy, our organization works to challenge stigma & promote compassionate, science-backed responses to substance use. We are united for change through initiatives & projects that center on love, hope, & meaningful support for all those affected.
What Guides Us
What We Do
We Lead with Love, Truth, and Courage
We believe lived experience is expertise. Bereaved families carry a unique urgency & fearlessness, & we will use it to protect others & drive lasting change.
Every Life Has Value
We believe every person has the right to live & be trated with dignity, reguardless of their substance use, circumstances, or anyone else's opinion
Punishment Deepens Harm
We believe criminalization, shame, & fear-based messaging increase stigma & isolation, making people less likely to seek help & more likely to die alone.
The Overdose Crisis is a Public Health Issue
We believe substance use disorder is a health condition, not a moral failure, & our response must be rooted in science, compassion,
& science-backed care.
Families Belong in the Conversation
We believe parents & loved ones need truthful information, real support, & a voice in decisions because families are essential to
prevention, care, & recovery.
Hope Requires Action
We believe change is possible when support, treatment, & connection, not just slogans. We focus on practical solutions
that save lives.
- Advocacy and Systems Change
We advocate for policies that treat the overdose crisis as a public health issue through expanding care, protecting human rights, & repairing systems that have failed families.
- Peer Parent Coaching
We support parents & caregivers navigation substance use disorder in the family, offering practical tools, emotional grounding, & guidance rooted in lived experience.
- Education and Public Awareness
We share clear, stigma-free resources about substance use disorder, overdose prevention, & recovery so families & communities can respond with understanding, not fear.
- Peer Grief Support
We provide compassionate support for families grieving oversode loss, helping them feel less alone while honoring grief as a love that has nowhere else to go.
- Harm Reduction and Life-Saving Support
We promote strategies that keep people alive & connected, including overdose prevention & safer-use education, because survival is the starting point for healing.
- Honoring Lives Lost
We uplift the names & stories of those we've lost, ensuring they are remembered with dignity & that their lives continue to create meaning & momentum for change.
Our Projects
The Mayor of Maple Avenue Podcast
This award-winning national podcast tells the tragic and profound story of Shawn Sinisi, exploring his battle with mental health & addiction, stemming from childhood trauma, including his history as the first documented victim of Jerry Sandusky to pass away. This project won the prestigious "Best Podcast" award in Pennsylvania. Created in collaboration with Meadowlark Media & Advance Local, it serves as a critical educational tool forunderstanding the intersection of trauma & SUD.
Free Clothing Giveaways
FUFC is proud to expand our reach
by offering freeresources to any woman in need to support their path forward. We offer clothing, shoes, handbags, accessories, & hygiene products.
The Circle of hope
Located at Tuckahoe Park in Altoona, this monument is a collaborative projectbetween family members, friends, & an artist in recovery. It provides a serene space for reflection & support for anyone affected by Substance Use Disorder.
