Press Release

August 21, 2007
CARDIN, MIKULSKI ANNOUNCE $100,000 FOR WICOMICO COUNTY DRUG-FREE COMMUNITY EFFORTS



 

 



WASHINGTON –
U.S. Benjamin L. Cardin and
Senators Barbara A. Mikulski today announced that the Wicomico County Drug Council of Wicomico County will receive a $100,000 Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Support Mentoring Program grant.



 


The Wicomico Drug Council, located in Salisbury, will use the funds to reduce alcohol and drug use among youth 18 years of age and under by reducing the risk factors that contribute to alcohol and
 of availability of drugs and community laws and norms favorable to drug use, firearms and crime.
  It also will expand and strengthen collaboration between the Drug Council and the community.



 


“Efforts to keep our youth drug-free are critical to healthy communities in Maryland,” said Senator Cardin. “The Drug-Free Communities Program recognizes the great potential of community efforts to help save kids’ lives. This new funding will allow it to mobilize and organize community efforts to prevent and reduce substance abuse.”



 



“This funding is a federal investment in keeping our communities strong and thriving – to prevent lost youth, and lost opportunity. These drug-free community coalitions give our young people positive alternatives to substance abuse,” said Senator Mikulski.  “I will continue to fight to keep drugs out of our communities, because we can’t afford to lose any more of our young people to drug use.”



 


The DFC program provides grants of up to $500,000 over five years to community organizations that facilitate citizen participation in local drug prevention efforts. Ninety new grantees were selected from 321 applicants through a competitive peer review process. To qualify for matching grants, all awardees must have at least a six-month history of working together on substance abuse prevention initiatives, develop a long-term plan to reduce substance abuse, and participate in a national evaluation, of the Drug-Free Communities Program.

 

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