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Informed Families Catalyst

Florida Schools & Communities Wrapped In Red Ribbon

Posted by Informed Families on November 21, 2015 at 12:42 PM

Families, schools and communities across Florida demonstrated their commitment to a Drug-Free America during 2015 Red Ribbon Week® (October 23-31). Informed Families, Florida's Red Ribbon Week sponsor, partnered with Ambassadors, agencies, organizations and businesses, leveraging resources and reaching more children and families with prevention messages. Red Ribbon Week was created after the death of DEA Special Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena, who was kidnapped, tortured and killed in Mexico, 30 years ago. The National Red Ribbon Campaign®, sponsored by the National Family Partnership, is the oldest and largest drug prevention program in the nation, with an estimated 80 million people celebrating each year.

Here are some highlights from 2015 Red Ribbon Week:

  • Informed Families equipped schools across Florida with tool kits, featuring youth pledges, posters, parent flyers, morning announcements, newsletter entries, activity guides and more, through our Ambassador Program.
  • Families and schools across the State entered Informed Families’ Florida Red Ribbon Photo Contest, which offered experiential learning while delivering the 2015 National theme message: “Respect Yourself. Be Drug Free.” The theme was created by a middle school student in Solon, Ohio. The school entry and home entry with the most votes in Florida will receive an iPad and $1,000 for a local K-12 school, courtesy of Informed Families. Stay tuned for the announcement of the winners in early December.
  • Informed Families partnered with Discovery Education to promote its Red Ribbon Week- themed “Virtual Field Trip,” featuring a police canine training facility, to educators across Florida. Hundreds of Florida classrooms participated.
  • Whole Foods Coral Gables selected Informed Families to be the recipient of its Donate Your Dime campaign during the month of October and for the remainder of 2015.
  • Over $15,000 was raised by Informed Families and 30 Florida schools participating in the first ever Red Ribbon Walk & Wrap program, which supports local school projects and Statewide substance abuse prevention programs.
  • Several schools were honored for being Red Ribbon Certified Schools, a designation given to schools who demonstrate year-round prevention excellence.

“Red Ribbon Week is and always has been a Prevention Delivery System,” said Informed Families President & CEO Peggy Sapp in her October President’s Message. “Through grassroots support in schools and communities, Red Ribbon Week sets the stage for parents, educators and community members to have open and honest conversations with their children about making healthy choices.”

Most importantly, Informed Families thanks the parents/caregivers, educators and concerned citizens who used Red Ribbon Week as an opportunity to talk to the children in their lives about the importance of being safe, healthy and drug free.

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Thank You!

Your effort and dedication makes it possible to reach thousands of kids statewide with the wonderful Red Ribbon message. We are truly honored to work with you in keeping kids safe, healthy, and drug free!

Not Yet An Ambassador?

We are gearing up for our next campaign: Lock Your Meds, so now is a great time to join the prevention movement! Florida Ambassadors receive toolkits, materials, and (very short and easy) training to implement the four campaigns.

Ready to sign up?

Join Our Ambassador Program

Topics: red ribbon week, respect

About Us

We teach people how to say no to drugs and how to make healthy choices. To reduce the demand for drugs, Informed Families has focused its efforts on educating and mobilizing the community, parents and young people in order to change attitudes. In this way we counteract the pressures in society that condone and promote drug and alcohol use and abuse. The organization educates thousands of families annually about how to stay drug and alcohol free through networking and a variety of programs and services .

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