The Rayce Rudeen Foundation partners with Eastern Washington University’s School of Music to deliver the RR Music Mentoring Program. This program provides middle school students from underserved schools with consistent access to music education, mentorship, and creative expression.
Through weekly Music Lab sessions, students build foundational skills in music theory, instrumental performance, composition, and vocal training under the guidance of university mentors. The program culminates in a year-end recital, giving students the opportunity to showcase their growth and creativity.
Beyond music, the program introduces students to the college environment through visits to EWU’s campus, helping them envision higher education as an achievable path.
The 2025–2026 school year marked significant milestones. Music Lab students composed and performed an original piece alongside Eastern Washington University’s Orchestra, more than 80 students visited the EWU campus, and the program facilitated over 130 student engagement sessions throughout the year.
Nobody should have to fight addiction alone. To support those struggling with drug use and their families, we are building a central online hub to find and access prevention, treatment, recovery, and family support resources in the Spokane area.
The Rayce Rudeen Foundation has partnered with the DEA’s Operation Engage, an ongoing project uniting community leaders to increase awareness about fentanyl and provide education to all demographic groups in our community.
In partnership with the WSU College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceuticals Sciences, we offer training for Washington nurses to administer NARCAN®, the nasal spray version of the overdose-reversal drug naloxone, in the event of an overdose. Along with this training, the Rayce Rudeen Foundation provides NARCAN® training kits for each nurse to take back to their school. In 2021, we added a new element to this training: a protocol session focused on procedures for the school to follow—as well as follow-up resources to connect students’ families with addiction counseling and treatment.
Through our free Narcan Training, you’ll learn about the current trends of the opioid epidemic, recognize an opioid overdose, understand how Narcan works in the body, and how to administer it. In 2024, we introduced the inclusion of one OneBox Narcan kit per organization that participates in our training.
To learn more about our free Narcan/Naloxone training, please email us at info@raycerudeen.org.
We are leading our community toward a united and compassionate response to the epidemic of addiction. By hosting roundtable discussions, community events, and both unifying and educating community leaders and members, we are empowering our community to fight addiction—together.
When Kevin Rudeen lost his son to a fentanyl overdose, the racing community was there for him. A team owner of sprint cars for almost 30 years, Kevin founded an annual race to honor his son. The Rayce Rudeen Foundation Race engages the racing community nation-wide in empowering communities to fight addiction.
The Rayce Rudeen Foundation’s Opioid Awareness and Narcan Administration Program at Geiger Corrections Facility is designed to equip incarcerated individuals with the knowledge and tools needed to prevent overdose and save lives. This program provides clear, practical education on the risks of opioid use, the realities of fentanyl exposure, and the critical importance of recognizing the signs of an overdose.
Participants receive training in the administration of naloxone (Narcan), empowering them to respond quickly and effectively in emergency situations. By combining education with real-world application, the program helps reduce stigma, build confidence, and create a culture of accountability and care within the facility.
This initiative reflects the Foundation’s commitment to meeting individuals where they are, providing life-saving resources, and preparing participants to make safer choices both during incarceration and upon reentry into the community.
Notes of Hope is a scholarship program dedicated to providing financial assistance to youth music programs. We believe music can have a profound impact on young people, offering them a creative and positive outlet to express themselves, build confidence, develop meaningful skills, and connect with others. Through Notes of Hope, we hope to help ensure that more youth have access to the opportunities and benefits that music can provide.
Each semester, we work with WSU College of Nursing interns to conduct research in areas of addiction. In 2021, we worked with five interns who worked wholeheartedly in helping the Rayce Rudeen Foundation develop an asset map for our community. Their work and research with local agencies gave the Rayce Rudeen Foundation great insight into the gaps in our system. This work also helped us in the first steps of organizing the logistics of an asset map. To honor the interns’ work and their professor, the Rayce Rudeen Foundation donated $5,000 to the College of Nursing Dean’s Excellence Fund and created an endowment to support ongoing research into addiction.
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