Lears Fentanyl Awareness Foundation

Our Mission

Fighting the fentanyl poisoning epidemic through education, awareness, and harm reduction to create safer and healthier communities.

The Lears Fentanyl Awareness Foundation is committed to empowering youth and adults with critical knowledge to prevent fentanyl-related deaths and save lives. We offer educational presentations and outreach programs to schools and within our community to support, prevent, and raise awareness about the dangers of fentanyl use, counterfeit pills, laced drugs, and the devastating impact of addiction. Our mission is to foster safer communities within Sonoma County, California, and beyond, and create a future where fewer lives are lost to fentanyl-related poisoning and overdoses.

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Leland and his siblings when they were young.

Leland and his siblings at his last birthday.

Leland's Story

The Lears Fentanyl Awareness Foundation was founded in honor of Leland (Lears) Ray Schneider, Jr., who lost his life to a fentanyl overdose on June 23, 2022, at the age of 29. Leland had a rare kidney disease that he endured for most of his adult life. Like so many of us, Leland had struggles and hardships that he worked very hard to overcome—one of those struggles being addiction. Leland was only months away from getting a kidney transplant and his 30th birthday when he passed away.

Leland was a bright, funny, charismatic, vibrant, and talented young man. The loss of Leland has undoubtedly been the most challenging thing our family has ever gone through. Leland's passing has left us with a tremendous hole in our family and our hearts. Our goal in starting this foundation is to spread awareness about the devastating impact of fentanyl and addiction and, hopefully, save lives with Leland's story.

Through targeted educational programs in schools, the community, and online, the Lears Fentanyl Awareness Foundation aims to raise awareness and equip youth and our community with knowledge about the risks associated with fentanyl and provide tools to make informed choices and save lives.

Our hope in sharing Leland's story is that he is not defined by his struggles but remembered for the incredible person that he was and that his memory is honored by helping others. Through this foundation, Leland's light will continue to touch the lives of so many, just as he did while he was here.