Local Grant Will Help Battle Addiction
June 21, 2019 at 11:08 p.m.
By David [email protected]
The $5,000 grant from Aim – formerly known as the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns – also will include 2,000 biodegradable drug disposal bags.
Staci Young, assistant to Mayor Joe Thallemer, told the Warsaw Board of Public Works and Safety on Friday that several months ago the board approved an application for the Aim Drug and Opioid Abuse Program Grant. The full $5,000 requested was granted.
“It’s a one-time grant for cities to try and come up with a creative way to combat the opioid and drug abuse problems in our communities,” she said.
The intent of the 2,000 biodegradable drug disposal bags “is to distribute those to our county police departments for them to distribute as they see fit in their communities,” Young said.
She said the intent of the grant is for it to be used for the Community Opioid Crisis Call to Action meetings like those that have taken place previously. Also, the grant will help fund some advertisements locally, and giveaway items with addiction resource information printed on them to be distributed within the community.
Mary Gerard, Bowen Center vice president of human resources, worked with Young on the Aim grant application.
“I’ve been involved with drug awareness back to 2010 when I was still with United Way, and the concept that we always had is we’re going to put on these awareness meetings and they’ve always been very well attended,” Gerard said.
The meetings have been held at the Center Lake Pavilion, and Gerard said over 300 people have attended each one.
“And it’s a mix of people. Everyone from actual addicts and their families to businessmen, doctors, school representatives. We just reach the whole community,” she said. “The one thing that we decided is we’d do the awareness workshops with or without funding.”
She said they just decided to have them and figure out a way to fund them.
“In the past, it’s just been really tough because we’ll schedule the awareness and then it’s a matter of getting the word out on zero budget,” Gerard said.
She said organizations like the Bowen Center and recovery homes stepped forward to help with the events by financially contributing.
“Each time we do a workshop, I would say with the radio advertising and everything, we probably spend around $1,000 or more dollars and the dollars just come from the good will of others,” Gerard said.
The Aim grant will help with the pre-planning of the Call to Action events and reserve locations in a more defined way.
She said the events have been “really effective” but it will be nice to have a budget for them.
Board of Works member Jeff Grose told her, “It’s a privilege on behalf of the city and the Board of Works to thank you for your leadership with this. It’ll be put to good use.”
Gerard thanked Young and Thallemer for recognizing the opportunity with the Aim grant.
The board approved the acceptance of the grant. Bills for the expenses will be invoiced to and paid by the city using the granted funds.Local Grant Will Help Battle Addiction
The $5,000 grant from Aim – formerly known as the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns – also will include 2,000 biodegradable drug disposal bags.
Staci Young, assistant to Mayor Joe Thallemer, told the Warsaw Board of Public Works and Safety on Friday that several months ago the board approved an application for the Aim Drug and Opioid Abuse Program Grant. The full $5,000 requested was granted.
“It’s a one-time grant for cities to try and come up with a creative way to combat the opioid and drug abuse problems in our communities,” she said.
The intent of the 2,000 biodegradable drug disposal bags “is to distribute those to our county police departments for them to distribute as they see fit in their communities,” Young said.
She said the intent of the grant is for it to be used for the Community Opioid Crisis Call to Action meetings like those that have taken place previously. Also, the grant will help fund some advertisements locally, and giveaway items with addiction resource information printed on them to be distributed within the community.
Mary Gerard, Bowen Center vice president of human resources, worked with Young on the Aim grant application.
“I’ve been involved with drug awareness back to 2010 when I was still with United Way, and the concept that we always had is we’re going to put on these awareness meetings and they’ve always been very well attended,” Gerard said.
The meetings have been held at the Center Lake Pavilion, and Gerard said over 300 people have attended each one.
“And it’s a mix of people. Everyone from actual addicts and their families to businessmen, doctors, school representatives. We just reach the whole community,” she said. “The one thing that we decided is we’d do the awareness workshops with or without funding.”
She said they just decided to have them and figure out a way to fund them.
“In the past, it’s just been really tough because we’ll schedule the awareness and then it’s a matter of getting the word out on zero budget,” Gerard said.
She said organizations like the Bowen Center and recovery homes stepped forward to help with the events by financially contributing.
“Each time we do a workshop, I would say with the radio advertising and everything, we probably spend around $1,000 or more dollars and the dollars just come from the good will of others,” Gerard said.
The Aim grant will help with the pre-planning of the Call to Action events and reserve locations in a more defined way.
She said the events have been “really effective” but it will be nice to have a budget for them.
Board of Works member Jeff Grose told her, “It’s a privilege on behalf of the city and the Board of Works to thank you for your leadership with this. It’ll be put to good use.”
Gerard thanked Young and Thallemer for recognizing the opportunity with the Aim grant.
The board approved the acceptance of the grant. Bills for the expenses will be invoiced to and paid by the city using the granted funds.Local Grant Will Help Battle Addiction
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