Prevention stories demonstrate the many creative ways that event hosts are engaging their communities in alcohol and other drug misuse prevention and highlight key outcomes that help create lasting impacts on communities.
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The coalition created an?Intergenerational Community Garden?with local organizations, teaching healthy eating and gardening skills over a 12-week program.
MyNKA USA took 24 adolescents on a field trip to the DEA Museum which included viewing exhibits, a visit from a member of the Prince George County Sheriff’s Office, a cookout, and an award ceremony.
Through electronic billboards, social media, and a blog featuring evidence-based tips and patient-created art, Heartview Foundation’s media campaign encouraged parents to talk with their youth about drugs and alcohol.
Members of the Vanden High School Friday Night Live (FNL) Chapter held a town hall meeting to address the dangers of underage drinking and fentanyl usage, collaborating with a local university and the county Office of Public Health, and promoted the event through various media channels.
The Fort Worth community participated in a Kids vs. Cops basketball game during Red Ribbon Week to foster positive interactions between youth and police amid ongoing calls for accountability.
The Communities Talk event hosted by Drug Free Marion County featured a diverse panel of experts discussing prevention resources and the impact of marijuana and alcohol use in the county. They also engaged the community through in-person discussions at a local church.
Teen Talk, hosted by the Jay County Drug Prevention Coalition, was a community conversation held at a local hospital where teens and adults discussed substance use, with 35 participants engaging in a two-hour session that included questions and insights from both youth and panelists.
PersonalOverLoad hosted a webinar featuring informative PDFs, interactive quizzes, and an open discussion to encourage participants to share their insights, which fostered collaboration.
The Worcester County District Attorney’s Office held their annual Student Wellness Conference for middle and high school students which featured speakers, lunch, and a resource fair.
Organization held a free resource fair that included activities for youth as well as specialized breakout sessions for parents.
Foundation provided presentations on substance use prevention and recovery, and educational keychains to middle and high school students.
North Kansas City Hospital hosted vendor table that focused on education and prevention awareness during community event, Telemundo, at local the Guadalupe Centers High School.
The Downriver Council for the Arts hosted a photo voice project and art exhibit with the theme Recovery and Resilience, which featured youth and local artists’ works, culminating in an event with presenters, live music, and resources on substance misuse prevention.
Holistic Evolution hosted an H.E. Barbershop Talk that featured police officers, young men of color, and a mental health professional discussing coping strategies and the cultural impact on these strategies.
The Butler County Community Resource Council’s “We Don’t Vape” public service announcement video featured high school students sharing their reasons for not vaping. The video was promoted through local movie theaters and social media to raise awareness among youth.
Organization held an event that included vendors, healthcare representatives, local schools distributing educational information, and a guest speaker.
SADD Georgia held interactive workshops for community members.
Youth-led public service announcements were taped and shown before films in the local movie theater.
The Guidance/Care Center, Inc. hosted National Night Out events across the Florida Keys, engaging the community with resources, games, and discussions on making neighborhoods safer and more secure.
Coalition hosted a table at the local Oktoberfest Community Fair that focused on normalizing the idea that most parents don’t supply alcohol to minors.
School district held a health and wellness fair after a parade that ended at the school where the fair was held.
The Chemical Health Coalition of Yellow Medicine County hosted Heather and Randy Bacchus from “Be Extraordinary, Be You” to educate the tri-county region on the dangers of high-potency cannabis, sharing their personal story of loss due to cannabis use disorder and its severe consequences.
PreventEd, SOUL, MONet, and H.E.A.L: STOP HEROIN hosted an in-person event for International Overdose Awareness Day, featuring a tribute walk, educational resources, and distribution of Narcan and fentanyl test strips to raise awareness and support those affected by substance use disorder.
The Tigard Turns the Tide Parent and Youth Group and Stop Tigard Underage Drinking and Drugs hosted a community event at Tigard High School to raise awareness about alcohol and drug misuse. The event featured resource tables, roundtable discussions, and a town hall meeting.
The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Department of Social Work hosted a wellness fair to raise awareness about domestic violence and substance abuse, featuring interactive activities like impairment goggles, Narcan demonstrations, and harm reduction practices.
During the holiday season, the Montgomery County Cares Coalition engaged local businesses and schools in activities to raise awareness about the dangers of drunk driving. The coalition hung flyers with QR code pledges, distributed tea light candles, and organized educational events for students.
The “Bringing it All Together” event hosted by Aliviane in El Paso, Texas, featured presentations and panels on the impacts of vaping and fentanyl on the community, including discussions by law enforcement and parents affected by fentanyl overdose, with materials distributed to raise awareness.
The Unity In The Community 2024 event was hosted by the Renewed Covenant Outreach Foundation, which partnered with the local police department to educate students on the dangers of underage drinking and impaired driving through demonstrations with visual impairment goggles.
Youth and local experts presented information to Spanish-speaking parents about substance use, including alcohol and nicotine (vaping), at a town hall hosted by the Oregon Cares Community Coalition.
Florida Atlantic University hosted a Communities Talk event that featured a poster presentation and town hall discussion on alcohol-related mortality among underage and college-aged populations, engaging students in dialogue and promoting responsible drinking and prevention strategies.
A West Virginia-based organization worked with a local high school to arrange a family engagement Bingo night focusing on alcohol awareness. The organization created a bingo set displaying national and local substance-use statistics and facts.
The "Drug House Odyssey - Straight Talk on Underage Drinking" webinar, hosted by Drug-Free Lee, featured professionals from various law enforcement and legal agencies discussing underage drinking prevention, strategies for addressing underage drinking with children, and the legal consequences of serving alcohol at house parties.
Local sheriff's department particiated in a Communities Talk prevention activity. The event included the sheriff's engagment in underage drinking, understanding the law, personal safety and important responsible choices.
The Sticker Shock campaign by the United Way of Steele County and the Steele County Coalition for Healthy Youth involved a social media initiative and labels on beer cases at local retailers to raise awarness about the Social Host Ordinance and prevent underage drinking.
ADAPT Inc., an organization serving Washington, Tangipahoa, and St. Helena Parishes in Louisiana is dedicated to enhancing our communities though an array of impactful programs. ADAPT collaborated with local officials and a youth coalition to host a town hall presentation for its parish council member. The presentation, which was youth-led, ecouraged the council to pass stricter ordinances to prevent adults from providing alcohol to minors.
On October 1, Texan Southern University's Department of Counseling hosted a community Town Hall Meeting to discuss underage drinking, drug use, and fentanyl awareness. It featured interactive discussions and a poignant display of 300 photos representing daily fentanyl-related deaths. The event, attended by over 100 students, faculty, and staff, received positive feedback and calls for broader future engagement.