The Courage Center Receives 2025 FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award

Lexington, South Carolina — August 12, 2026 — The Courage Center has been named the FBI Columbia Field Office’s recipient of the 2025 Director’s Community Leadership Award for its work supporting people and families affected by substance misuse and substance-use disorders.

The organization was honored Wednesday during a ceremony at the FBI Columbia Field Office in Lexington. Special Agent in Charge Anish Shukla presented the award on behalf of FBI Director Kash Patel.

The Courage Center is the Midlands’ first recovery community organization supporting individuals of all ages through substance-use recovery. Its services also extend to families confronting the effects of addiction and other substance-related challenges.

Recovery community organizations provide support outside traditional clinical environments by helping people develop stability, maintain recovery and connect with available services. Their work can address needs that continue after treatment or emerge when someone is not yet connected to formal care.

The Courage Center works to identify gaps in recovery services, prevention programs and educational opportunities across the Midlands. Its outreach places staff directly in neighborhoods and unhoused communities where people may face barriers to treatment, transportation, healthcare and other forms of assistance.

Staff members distribute NARCAN, fentanyl test strips, hygiene products and other harm-reduction supplies during those visits.

NARCAN is a nasal form of naloxone used to reverse an opioid overdose temporarily, providing additional time for emergency medical care to arrive. Fentanyl test strips can help detect the presence of fentanyl in a substance, though they cannot determine its quantity or establish that a substance is safe.

Placing those resources within communities can help reduce immediate overdose risks while creating contact between people in vulnerable circumstances and recovery-support personnel.

The organization’s work also recognizes that substance-use disorders affect families as well as the individual experiencing addiction. Relatives may require education, guidance and support as they respond to overdoses, treatment decisions, relapses and the long-term demands of recovery.

The Courage Center is developing an additional program for students who test positive for substances. The planned initiative will provide life-skills instruction, education and recovery coaching.

The program is intended to create a structured response that addresses the circumstances surrounding a student’s substance use. Recovery coaching can help participants establish goals, identify risks, strengthen decision-making and connect with further support when needed.

The FBI did not announce when the student program will begin, identify participating schools or disclose how students will be referred. The initiative remains in development.

Shukla said The Courage Center stands at the forefront of efforts to address addiction. He described its leadership and dedication as an example of the community involvement required to confront the complex consequences of substance misuse.

The award recognizes work that connects prevention, overdose response, recovery assistance, family support and education. Those areas serve different stages of the substance-use crisis and require cooperation among community organizations, healthcare providers, schools, public-safety agencies and families.

Established in 1990, the FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award recognizes individuals and organizations that make significant contributions toward combating crime, terrorism, drugs and violence in communities across the United States.

The award allows FBI field offices to recognize local leadership that strengthens public safety and addresses community problems through sustained service.

The Courage Center’s selection reflects an approach centered on direct outreach and long-term recovery. Its staff members provide immediate resources in neighborhoods while working to build educational and coaching programs that can help people establish greater stability.

The organization’s work with people of all ages also acknowledges that substance-related harm is not confined to one demographic. Prevention, intervention and recovery services must be accessible to young people, adults and families facing different circumstances.

The 2025 Director’s Community Leadership Award recognizes The Courage Center’s continuing efforts to close service gaps and support Midlands residents affected by addiction. Its work demonstrates how local organizations can strengthen community safety by combining practical assistance with recovery support, education and sustained personal involvement.

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