Cherry Hill families affected by addiction can attend a free candlelight vigil Monday, Aug. 31, in nearby Blackwood, where Camden County will honor people who died from drug overdoses and connect attendees with recovery resources.

The Remembrance and Hope Memorial Vigil begins at 7 p.m. at Timber Creek Park, 236 Taylor Ave. and Chews Landing Road. The park is about 15 minutes south of Cherry Hill on Route 42.

The event takes place rain or shine.

What to expect

The county-organized ceremony will feature guest speakers, personal tributes, prayer, a live acoustic performance and video presentations honoring those who died, according to WHYY. The vigil falls on International Overdose Awareness Day, observed annually on Aug. 31.

Families who want a loved one included in the video tribute can submit photos or videos through the Camden County website. Resource information for people seeking addiction treatment or support will also be available at the event. No registration is required.

Statewide overdose deaths

New Jersey recorded 1,312 suspected drug overdose deaths in 2025, according to NJ Cares data cited by the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey. That figure represents a 27 percent drop from 2024 and a more than 50 percent decrease from pandemic-era peaks in 2020 and 2021. It was the state's lowest annual total in five years.

Angelo M. Valente, executive director of the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey, said in January that the decline reflects sustained investment in prevention. "Every overdose death changes the lives of a New Jersey family forever," Valente said in a Jan. 20 statement.

Nationally, about 70,000 Americans died of drug overdoses in 2025, a 14 percent drop from the prior year and the third consecutive annual decline, according to preliminary federal data reported by the Greenwich Time.

Local context

Camden County has been expanding its behavioral health infrastructure. As we reported Aug. 24, the state recently committed $16 million to a Camden County crisis stabilization center after a funding gap threatened the project.

The vigil at Timber Creek Park begins at 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 31, and is free and open to the public.