Redmond nonprofit receives drug-free communities grant
On Wednesday, the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy Drug Free Communities Support Program, in cooperation with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, announced $90.9 million in grants to 731 drug prevention coalitions across all 50 states, the largest number of grantees since the program’s founding in 1997.
Children Learning through Education And Research (CLEAR Alliance) was thrilled to learn their Redmond Area Community Coalition (RACC) was one of the drug prevention coalitions awarded a 2018 DFC Support Program grant in the amount of $125,000.
CLEAR Alliance, a Redmond-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, provides fact-based drug education through coalitions focused on preventing and reducing youth substance use and youth and adult impaired driving in Oregon. CLEAR Alliance supports two drug-free coalitions: the Redmond Area Community Coalition (RACC) and the Oregon Statewide Coalition (OSC).
The RACC serves Redmond, a community of more than 27,998 people in Congressional District OR-2 (Greg Walden-R). The goals of the coalition are to increase partnerships and leadership for RACC, and build sustainability for drug education efforts that prevent and reduce youth substance use and youth and adult impaired driving in Redmond. The coalition will achieve its goals by training Redmond instructors to implement fact-based drug education in schools and driver education programs and promote drug-free messaging by involving Redmond youth in their efforts.
Mandi Puckett, Executive Director of CLEAR Alliance, shared, “It is exciting to know that Redmond has been at the heart of the exponential growth CLEAR Alliance has seen over the past three years.” Because of the drug education RACC has implemented locally, the OSC has expanded the RACC’s good work to 30 of the 36 counties in Oregon so far. None of that would have been possible without Redmond. We are so grateful for this support.”
The RACC currently has youth and adult members from the Redmond School District, Redmond Police Department, Redmond Cinemas, Redmond Wellness & Chiropractic, Redmond REACH, Redmond youth and parents, Redmond-area businesses, Central Oregon Emergency Physicians and the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office.
“I am very supportive of CLEAR Alliance, their mission, and the work their coalitions have done. Now more than ever the work is necessary to educate our youth on the dangers of marijuana and other drugs. I am very thankful they received the grant,” stated Sheriff L. Shane Nelson.
If you are interested in volunteering or providing support (financial or in-kind) to the RACC, please join online at www.ClearAlliance.org or call 541-508-3062. You can also find CLEAR Alliance on Facebook and Instagram.
