UthMpact Coordinates 2016 Project Hoco Shopping Days Saturdays, September 17 & 24, 2016

UthMpact Coordinates 2016 Project Hoco Shopping Days
Saturdays, September 17 & 24, 2016

Polk County, FL – With Fall football games in full swing that means it’s time to celebrate Homecoming! For the past several years, teen leaders from UthMpact have successfully coordinated Project Prom to provide formal wear to deserving high school students, and now, UthMpact is proud to present the second year of Project Hoco to offer free dresses and suits to teens who promise to make smart, healthy, and safe decisions on the night of homecoming.

Student Shopping Days for Project Hoco will be held this Saturday, September 17 and next Saturday, September 24, from 10:00 a.m.  to 4:00 p.m., at the InnerAct Alliance office located at 621 South Florida Avenue, in Lakeland. Students with a Polk County School ID can sign a Project Hoco Pledge to celebrate drug-free and receive their dresses and suits for FREE!

Community members are also asked to support this effort by donating gently used dresses, shoes, purses, jewelry, men’s suits, ties, and other accessories. Formal wear donations may be dropped off at the InnerAct Alliance office on either of the shopping dates or on weekdays from 8:30 am – 4:30 pm.

UthMpact’s goal is promote a fun and safe Homecoming night. For more information, please contact Samantha Barwig, UthMpact Coordinator, at (863) 802-0777.

InnerAct Alliance supports National Eat with your Family Day Monday, September 26, 2016

CASA Family Day is a national movement to celebrate parental engagement

 as an effective tool to help keep America’s kids substance free.

Monday, September 26, 2016

To celebrate Family Day, we ask you to post your #myfamilyselfie photos on social media.

It’s Simple to Participate!

Gather your family for dinner at home or at a restaurant

Snap a picture or video of everyone enjoying spending time together

Share the image on social media using hashtag #myfamilyselfie on Family Day, September 26, 2016

Tag two friends and challenge them to share their own #myfamilyselfie photos!

Begin with posting your #myfamilyselfie on www.CasaFamilyDay.org and take the Parent Pledge to become a Family Day STAR!

Locally, help support the Red Ribbon Campaign by participating as a family at the Red Ribbon Half Marathon, 5K and sign your kids up for the FREE Kids’ Fun Run on Saturday, November 12, 2016. More information is available at www.RedRibbonHalf.com

Post Today on InnerAct Alliance’s Facebook page and be
Entered in a Drawing for FREE Red Ribbon 5K registration!

For more information, please visit www.InnerActAlliance.org or call (863) 802-0777

INNERACT ALLIANCE AWARDED DRUG FREE COMMUNITIES GRANT

INNERACT ALLIANCE AWARDED DRUG FREE COMMUNITIES GRANT

Polk County, FL – InnerAct Alliance is the proud recipient of a 2016-2017 Drug Free Communities Support Program (DFC) Grant in the amount of $125,000 by the Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (SAMHSA). The grant provides community coalitions needed support to prevent and reduce youth substance abuse.

InnerAct Alliance, formerly the Drug Prevention Resource Center, has worked diligently since 1985 to reduce the abuse and underage use of harmful substances along with involvement in other risky behaviors while supporting positive healthy decisions through: Community Awareness and Support; Prevention Education; Economic Impact; and Leadership Development. The 501(c)(3) nonprofit agency serves as the fiscal agent for the StandUP Polk (adult-based) and UthMpact (youth-based) Coalitions to help educate about the dangers of substance abuse and bring about positive change for Polk County.

“We are honored to be named as a recipient of the DFC grant for our community!” said Angie Ellison, executive director. “StandUP Polk, UthMpact, and InnerAct Alliance are blessed with the support of an active group of concerned citizens, community leaders, parents, youth, educators, health care, business professionals, law enforcement, and local media dedicated to prevention initiatives for reducing substance abuse. The funding over a period of five years will allow our coalition efforts to continue to grow and expand to strengthen our community.”

The Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Support Program is a collaborative effort between the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). ONDCP issues grant awards to community coalitions through an interagency agreement with SAMHSA. According to the Drug-Free Communities Act of 1997, the purpose of DFC funding is to address two major goals: 1) establish and strengthen collaboration among communities, public and private non-profit agencies, and Federal, state, local and tribal governments to support the efforts of community coalitions, and 2) reduce substance use among youth and, over time, among adults.

For additional information on StandUP Polk, UthMpact, and InnerAct Alliance’s prevention programs and services in the community, please contact InnerAct Alliance at (863) 802-0777.