The Trump and DeSantis administrations continue to criminalize drug use, sex work, trans healthcare and homeless people. While moneyed nonprofits can lobby for governmental change, Clearwater-based harm reduction group Kaon City Medics group is taking direct action.
The Transformers-themed team—complete with code names from the series, like Octane and Skyfire—can be spotted on the streets of Pinellas county, caring for residents who don’t have permanent housing and might otherwise not receive medical attention. Homeless individuals often feel that doctors are biased against them and treat them worse than other patients. Because of this, they may avoid treatment even for severe medical issues. KCM steps in to bring treatment directly to people who have learned to avoid professional medical care.
KCM wants to remove barriers to healthy living for everyone who feels abandoned by the government. This includes sex workers, for whom they provide safe sex kits and self-defense items. It also includes trans people, who are given supplies to administer hormones safely, rather than having to inject with the wrong kind of needle or improperly dispose of sharps. Drug users can get safe snorting, safe injecting and safe smoking kits as well as drug test strips to avoid injury from contaminated supply or unsafe delivery methods.
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KCM sets up tables at local events to distribute these supplies and more. Whether it’s a concert, a market, a Pride event or even a Dyke Nite, KCM shows up whenever asked and provides free supplies and educational pamphlets.
In addition to providing supplies locally, KCM brings aid wherever it’s needed. Last year, following hurricanes Helene and Milton, the crew took a truck full of generators, fuel, water and even cash aid from Tampa to rural Appalachia, where residents didn’t have access to the same storm preparedness resources as our coastal community.
KCM’s team of medics is trained to respond to crisis situations needing first aid. They show up with their medical kits in hand to protests and other large gatherings where attendees could encounter threats like shootings, police encounters or even excessive heat.
When they’re not tabling, mailing out health kits or treating injuries on the street, KCM hosts events to empower and educate the community. Past events include first aid training, self defense classes and rundowns on reproductive rights among a confusing landscape. Most recently, the group held a “power tool petting zoo” where community members could try out different power tools under expert supervision, removing barriers to DIY home repair.
KCM is not a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, meaning they aren’t dependent on government approval to carry out their mission. They also don’t rely on government funding or grants; just direct donations from community members. Large-scale charities are often funded by wealthy philanthropists who impose restrictions on how their money is spent based on their own personal philosophies. Since most of the people KCM serves are left behind by larger organizations and government, they took on a different model that would allow them greater flexibility. By relying on small individual donations, KCM ensures their only obligation is to their community.
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