For 40 years, InnerAct Alliance has been empowering Central Florida youth to make healthy choices. This December 2 - Giving Tuesday - you can help us continue our mission to reach every student in Hardee, Highlands, and Polk counties with FREE prevention programs that build confident leaders and drug-free communities.
Mark your calendar and get ready to make a meaningful impact - every dollar you invest in prevention saves our community $7 in treatment costs. It's also an investment that saves innocent lives! Together, we can continue building communities where healthy choices are the norm
Join us on December 2 or make your year-end gift today!
Thanksgiving is the obvious time of year that people start to think about what they are grateful for. Gratitude involves showing appreciation for the things in life that are meaningful or valuable to us.
Taking a moment to notice and acknowledge the things we are grateful for each year can brighten our outlook, boost our mood, and help us feel more positive in the face of challenges. In these days leading up to Thanksgiving next Thursday 🦃, let's try practicing gratitude in some of the following ways:
*Reflect on the good things in your life and the challenges you overcame to get there
*Savor the good things whenever you get the chance and let yourself fully enjoy them
*Tell your loved ones that you appreciate them either in person, on the phone, or in a letter
*Write down 5 things you are grateful for at the end of everyday
Gratitude is much more than a feel-good emotion. Studies show that practicing gratitude is linked to numerous health benefits as well. Feelings of gratitude help regulate cortisol production in your brain and reduce anxiety and stress. It also helps boost the immune system, reduce blood pressure, and improve heart health and sleep quality.
As you notice health benefits increase, stress levels drop, and relationships strengthen, you'll have even more reasons to be grateful.💛
There are some new concerns about the addiction risks and side effects associated with a popular drink containing Kratom that is sold in gas stations, smoke shops, and online. It is often marketed under the guise of being a natural herbal supplement to help people focus, energize, or even relax, but behind its wellness claims lies a growing concern about Kratom's opioid-like high and addictive potential.
The State Attorney General banned concentrated Kratom products earlier this year but allowed some Kratom drinks and powders to remain on store shelves. One popular products that is currently legal for sale in Florida is Feel Free, an energy drink that contains Kratom. Ingredients listed on the blue 2-ounce bottle are: Alkaloids (34mg), Mitragynine (20mg), and 7-hydrodxymitragynine (<0.05mg). Directions on the product warn users to consume only 1 ounce (half the bottle) but often users find themselves exceeding the recommended amount...and that's where the problems can start.
Medical experts caution that Kratom leaf products can be chemically addictive as they bind to the same brain receptors as opioids. Addiction levels may begin low with only one bottle a day, but before long users may become physically dependent and find themselves consuming higher levels.
The Federal Drug Administration warns consumers not to use Kratom. They cite risks like liver toxicity, seizures, substance use disorder, and even death from the toxic effects of Mitragynine, the main component of Kratom in drinks like Feel Free.
Bottom line is that consumers need to realize that just because some products are legal, it doesn't mean they are for everyone. Research the facts - stay informed - stay safe!
These days, we are constantly bombarded by news and information online, in the real world, and within our own lives.📱For this reason, it's even more important to be sure the information we are receiving is accurate information.
Media literacy and digital literacy are valuable skills to have in this always-connected world. It's a good idea to verify the information we receive with one or two more reputable sources to make sure it is legitimate and consider that it could possibly be altered - something that's very possible with AI becoming more prevalent.
Thanks to our friends @ Positively Present for this helpful graphic to remind us to check the facts. ✅ By taking some of these fact-checking questions into consideration, it can help us separate what's real and what's manufactured - this includes examining and evaluating our thoughts as well. 💡
Did you know that every dollar invested in prevention saves communities $7 in treatment costs? Your donation to celebrate InnerAct Alliance's 40th Anniversary will help to support substance abuse prevention education for students and multiply positive impact across Central Florida. From classrooms to communities, every dollar helps guide kids toward a safe, healthy, drug-free future! 🌟
We believe in the power of prevention. For four decades, InnerAct Alliance has chosen prevention over intervention, positively over scare tactics, and community investment over crisis management. Our mission is needed now more than ever - the results speak for themselves in the thousands of students who have grown up making healthy choices because someone believed prevention could work. 👪
If your means allow, please consider helping to empower the next 40 years of positive change - any gift, no matter the size, demonstrates that our community values prevention, supports young leaders, empowers family, and believes in the power of positive peer pressure to help kids grow up safe and strong. 💪
November is Family Caregivers Month to salute those who nurture, guide, and support children. Caregivers need to stay informed so they can talk to kids about substance abuse prevention and it's equally important to communicate safety rules for the digital world we live in. 📱 💻
Young people use social media and other online platforms daily to communicate, learn about topics, and express themselves. In many cases, digital media can be beneficial for youth to help them build community and connect with others. Unfortunately, we know that kids can also be negatively impacted by online issues that can lead to harassment, cyberbullying, child abuse, and exposure to content that increases physical and mental health issues. Harms like these threaten the safety and wellbeing of young people.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) offers helpful resources for families to stay informed and share best practices with their children to help them navigate social media and online platforms safely.
What's a better inspiration for a happy, healthy life than this?...Decide what kind of life you really want, then say no to everything that isn't that! And this can apply to anyone at any time in their life.
It really does begin with YOU. In order to change or transform anything in life, you have to decide what it is that you want, what direction you wish to head in, or where you'd like to end up. Often, we don't do this and we lose track or let something sway us off-track.
Be guided by your own intuitive knowing. You know what is best for you, what feels good. Stay connected with your goals and don't let anything - especially alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs - get in the way of living your best life and achieving your dreams!
If you missed an opportunity to shop for FREE formal wear, Project HOCO has you covered! UthMpact is adding one more Student Shopping Day for teens to shop for formal wear this Saturday, November 15, from 11:00am to 1:00pm, at the Project Prom Store located in the Lakeland Square Mall, 3800 U. S. Highway 98N, in Lakeland (across from Rack Room Shoes).
Students with a Polk County School ID can sign a pledge promising to make healthy and safe choices during Prom and Homecoming celebrations and receive their dresses and suits for FREE! Over 6,000 prom and homecoming ensembles have been provided at no cost to young women and men in Polk County since 2013.
Community members may support the Project Prom and Project Homecoming efforts by donating gently-worn dresses, shoes, men's suits, ties, and accessories - anything to help complete the perfect look! Especially needed are ladies plus sizes (size 18+) and smaller size dresses (size 0-4), along with men's wear in smaller sizes. Your donations can help make someone's special night even more memorable!
Donations may be dropped off at the Project Prom Store on November 15 or at the InnerAct Alliance office, located at 621 South Florida Ave. in Lakeland weekdays from 8:30am to 4:30pm. A receipt will be provided for tax purposes.
UthMpact's goal is to promote fun and safe Prom and Homecoming seasons.
Mark your calendar for Giving Tuesday on December 2.📅This year, Giving Tuesday means even more as InnerAct Alliance celebrates 40 years of building drug-free communities across Central Florida. This global day of generosity kicks off the charitable season and we're asking you to please consider InnerAct Alliance as you plan your year-end giving.✍
Why Your Support Matters:
*Free prevention education reaches thousands of students across Polk, Hardee, and Highlands counties
*UthMpact teens become prevention champions, influencing their peers from within
*Evidence-based programs work - 87% of Polk students reject marijuana - 88% say no to vaping
*Every dollar invested saves our community $7 in treatments costs
3 Ways to Give:
*Make a one-time gift of $40 to honor IAA's 40th anniversary
*Become a monthly donor for year-round support
*Plan your year-end giving on Giving Tuesday
Join the global movement of generosity on Dec. 2 and help us enter our 5th decade with momentum
TodayisVeteransDay - a day set aside to honor all who have served honorably in the United States military - in wartime or peacetime. In fact, Veterans Day is a day set aside to thank living veterans for their service, to acknowledge that their contributions to our national security are appreciated, and to underscore the fact that all who served, not only those who have died, have sacrificed and done their duty.
Each year on November11, Americans come together to celebrate Veterans Day with parades and other special gatherings to publicly thank veterans who have served in war or peace. Today, there are more than 23 million veterans across the U.S. We thank and appreciate all our Veterans for their courage, service, and bravery!
Being on Your Own Side is all about giving up on the inner critic that turns you against yourself and spreads negativity. Instead, try to focus on positive thoughts that help you be yourself, trust in your abilities, and support your endeavors - not only in actionsbut also in thought and spirit. 🍂
Starting today, try shifting your mindset to let go of the judgment that holds you back. Take satisfaction from the hard work you do instead of focusing on things that you have not yet accomplished.
We wish you the courage to Be Who You Are! For today, be on your own side and know that you are AWESOME!💛
November is a great time to "fall" into the habit of making time for supportive self-care to rejuvenate your own health and well-being! With the busy holidays coming up, it may sometimes feel like it's impossible to take time for yourself, but in order to do for our families and others, we must nourish our own mind, body, and soul too!
Research suggests that regular self-care promotes positive health outcomes such as fostering resilience and becoming better equipped to manage stress. Even small acts of self-care in our daily lives can play a role in reinforcing the belief that our own needs are valid and should be a priority.
We hope you'll feel inspired by the simple suggestions in this colorful graphic from @Positively Present that paints a visual of good intentions. It reminds us to take the time to pause and do something that makes you happy - start this weekend with a focus on seeking out comfort🥤, unlocking your own potential,🔐, letting pieces fall into place 🧩, and appreciating how you've survived! 💪
A study of 800 children conducted over a period of 20 years from kindergarten through age mid-20's found that those who learned social skills of helpfulness and caring at an early age were more likely to have achieved success by early adulthood. Youngsters who had problems resolving conflicts, sharing, cooperating, and listening were less likely to have completed high school or college, and more likely to have problems with substance abuse.
Funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the study highlights the connection between brain health and a person's overall health. Researchers found that success in school involved both social-emotional and cognitive learning. When children learn to interact effectively with peers and how to control their emotions, it can impact how their adult lives take shape. Study: http://www.upworthy.com/researchers-studied-kindergarteners-behavior-and-followed-up-19-years-later-here-are-the-findings
InnerAct Alliance offers best practice prevention education programs like Keep A Clear Mind, Too Good for Drugs, Project ALERT, and social norms to students in Polk County Schools to help positively influence students' attitudes, beliefs, and perceptions regarding alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, and other substance use and risky behaviors.
Our agency also offers a fun program for younger children that features instruction by a humane educator using age-appropriate literature, critical thinking techniques, and activities to encourage healthy ways to show kindness, interact with peers, and promote animal welfare. Learn more about our FREE education programs by calling InnerAct Alliance at (863) 802-0777.
Your brain shapes every aspect of your life - from decision-making to memory, emotional well-being and problem-solving. The brain is our most valuable asset, so nurturing it with healthy habits will pay dividends for years to come.🧠
It's never too early or too late to adopt brain-healthy habits. Cognitive health is a lifelong process and small changes made in childhood, adulthood, or even later years can help reduce the risk of cognitive decline.
Alcohol and smoking have harmful effects on brain health. 🚭🍷Alcohol consumption is known to cause several brain anomalies. Heavy alcohol use reduces brain volume and impairs cognitive function, increasing the risk of dementia and stroke. Smoking contributes to oxidative stress, damaging brain cells, and accelerating cognitive decline. Avoiding these substances protects brain structure, enhances cognitive longevity, and reduces the risk of neurodegenerative diseases.
With the right lifestyle choices, you're not just adding years to your life - you're adding life to your years. Your brain will thank you!
InnerAct Alliance invites the community to attend a Holiday Open House celebrating the agency's 40th Ruby Anniversary and our newly renovated office on Tuesday afternoon, December 9, from 3:00pm to 6:00pm. The location is 621 South Florida Avenue in Lakeland. Please drop by to help us celebrate this special milestone and the holiday season while supporting substance abuse prevention and healthy choices for youth, families, and everyone in our community!
For four decades, we have chosen prevention over intervention, positivity over scare tactics, and community investment over crisis management. The results speak for themselves in the thousands of students who have grown up making healthy choices because someone believed prevention could work.
If your means allow, please consider helping to empower the next 40 years of positive change - any gift, no matter the size, demonstrates that our community values prevention, supports young leaders, and believes in the power of positive peer pressure.
While we know that vaping has been prevalent in middle schools and high schools for almost a decade, some school district leaders in Florida are finding that there's a growing concern about vaping use in elementary schools where students as young as 4th and 5th grade are being found with vapes.
This alarming trend is traced to popular social media outlets like Tik-Tok and Instagram, where vaping is made to look appealing by companies who use strategic marketing tactics like sleek packaging and social media influencers to entice young people. In addition, the tobacco industry uses product placement of e-cigarettes and vaping products on tv shows and in movies where children can easily see and become curious to try them. Parents often are not aware of this issue until after their child has been caught on campus. It can be an eye-opening experience.
In 2024, more than 40% of high school e-cigarette users reported using vapes at least 20 days a month. Nearly 30% reported vaping every day. Almost 90% of youth e-cigarette users reported using flavored products with fruit, candy, dessert, mint, and menthol reported as the most popular flavors.
Florida is involved in several efforts to keep vaping products out of the hands of children. Earlier this year, the state securing a $79 million settlement with Juul to resolve a lawsuit regarding its past marketing practices that targeted underage users.
Parents - prevention begins with education and communication so talk with your kids early and often. Before they even think about vaping, help them to learn about the facts and potential risks because knowledge is power! 💪
Happy November! 🍂 Tonight is when the clocks "fall back" an hour and we gain an extra hour of sleep! ⏰
A little bit of history - daylight savings time became law in the U.S. in 1918 as a way to maximize daylight hours and save energy during WWI. Many states have tried to repeal this law, but Hawaii and Arizona are the only two states that do not participate in daylight savings time, in addition to the territories of American Samoa, Guam, Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
Here in Florida - remember to roll back your clocks an hour this weekend. This goes into effect officially on Sunday morning, November 2 at 2am, but most folks set their clocks back one-hour before going to bed tonight, Saturday, November 1. With the time change, it will be dark earlier in the evening.
Recommendations to adjust😪 - some people, especially young children, can be thrown off by the time change. When clocks fall back, experts recommend that we take steps to increase exposure to sunlight during the daytime, especially in the morning, and also limit intake of alcohol and caffeine.
621 South Florida Avenue, Lakeland, FL, United States
InnerAct Alliance, formerly the Drug Prevention Resource Center, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit agency established in 1985 to reduce the abuse and underage use of harmful substances along with involvement in other risky behaviors through: Community Awareness and Involvement; Prevention Education; Economic Support; and Leadership Development.
The agency provides substance abuse prevention programs in the Hardee, Highlands and Polk county areas in Central Florida.
InnerAct Alliance also serves as the fiscal agent for the StandUP Polk (adult-based) and UthMpact (youth-based) Coalitions for a Drug-Free Polk. We invite concerned citizens to take an active part in monthly Coalition meetings in Lakeland, FL.
For information, please call InnerAct Alliance at (863) 802-0777.
