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Missouri City Health and Wellness Fair
Hosted by:
Missouri City School District
Please briefly describe your Communities Talk activity.
We held a health and wellness fair and parade. We have a very small town, and this event got most community members out and socializing with each other. The families all love the parade, and kids are encouraged to get some healthy exercise by following, on bike or on foot, the end of the parade train as it passes by. The parade ends at the school, where there are family activities and other vendors, including our coalition’s table of underage drinking prevention materials. Our goals centered around fostering community connection, increasing awareness around underage drinking, and setting a community standard of healthy choices. We made contact with around 150 community members, which in a community with 19 students in a small rural school was a big turnout.
How does alcohol and other drug misuse affect your community?
We have a very small community. We do not have as much in the form of data about occurrences of underage drinking, but we do know that the lack of recreational activities and things to do in the small town means these kids have increased risk factors.
Which prevention strategy(ies), as defined by SAMHSA’s Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, best fit your Communities Talk activity?
- Community-Based Process Strategy - focuses on enhancing the capacity of the community to address AOD issues through organizing, planning, collaboration, coalition building, and networking.
- Information Dissemination Strategy - focuses on improving awareness and knowledge of the effects of AOD issues on communities and families through “one-way” communication with the audience such as speaking engagements, health fairs, and distribution of print materials.
What goal(s) did you hope to accomplish with your Communities Talk activity?
- Build coalitions with other agencies or programs to reduce and prevent alcohol and/or other drug misuse.
- Increased community connection.
Did you accomplish your goal(s)?
Yes
What challenge(s) did you face in planning your activity this year?
How did you overcome these challenges?
What are your next steps?
- Expand our coalition with new partnerships in the community
- Conduct research efforts to learn more about issues in our community
If you’ve conducted Communities Talk activities in prior years, how has your repeated participation contributed to progress in achieving your prevention goals?
It has helped us to continue bringing the community together and offering youth alternative positive activities while sharing education.
Organizations that conduct Communities Talk activities often involve other organizations in the planning and execution of events. Please indicate which type(s) of organizations you involved in your activity planning.
- Secondary schools
- Elementary schools
- Local businesses
- State and local government agencies (e.g., public health departments)
Which of the following best describes the primary audience(s) for your Communities Talk activity?
- Youth
- Parents
- Teachers or other education staff
How did you reach and engage your primary audience(s) to encourage them to participate in your activity?
The parade, games, and activities help engage youth and families.
Which Communities Talk resources (or other SAMHSA resources) were most helpful for your activity?
- Prevention-related webinars
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