Drug Prevention Tools and Tips Offered to Schools and Families During Nationwide Celebration
Informed Families, a Florida nonprofit devoted to helping kids grow up safe, healthy and drug-free, is proud to be the sponsor of Florida's Red Ribbon Week™ 2016, set for Oct. 23-31. More details about this campaign can be found at http://www.flredribbon.org.
Red Ribbon Week was created by the National Family Partnership after the death of DEA Agent Kiki Camarena in Mexico in 1985. This tragedy led to the continuing tradition of displaying red ribbons as a symbol of intolerance toward the use of drugs. Red Ribbon Week is an opportunity for parents and schools to show support for a drug-free America -- and to talk to children about making healthy choices. The national theme for Red Ribbon Week 2016 is "YOLO. Be Drug Free."™
Among the resources Informed Families is offering to parents and educators on its website:
- The official Red Ribbon Week 2016 planning guide
- Parents' guide to talking to kids about drugs
- Downloadable parent and youth pledges
- Additional materials for schools are offered to Informed Families' Ambassadors, or school-based volunteers
Also, National Family Partnership and Informed Families are sponsoring a photo contest in which winners will receive an iPad and $1,000 for a local K-12 school. Families may submit a photo of a Red Ribbon-themed home decoration; schools may submit a picture of a school decoration. Parents, educators, or PTA members must submit the photos to http://redribbon.org/contest/enter by Nov. 2; entries with the most votes, cast on the Red Ribbon website, will win. All entries must include a double-looped Red Ribbon and this year's theme: "YOLO. Be Drug Free." Informed Families will also be awarding an iPad and $1,000 to the school and family entries with the most votes in the State of Florida. More information about the 2016 National Red Ribbon Photo Contest can be found at http://redribbon.org/contest.
"Since 1988, the Red Ribbon Campaign has served as a catalyst to mobilize communities to educate youth and encourage participation in drug prevention activities," says Peggy B. Sapp, President and CEO of Informed Families and President of the National Family Partnership. "Communication is so important: Children of parents who talk to their teens regularly about drugs are less likely to use drugs than those who don't. Red Ribbon Week is all about fostering that communication and, ultimately, keeping kids safe. Informed Families is delighted to share tools and tips to help parents and educators make the most of Red Ribbon Week."
For more information about Red Ribbon Week or the other programs and resources Informed Families offers, visit the organization's website at https://www.informedfamilies.org.
About Informed Families
A nonprofit organization founded in 1982, the mission of Informed Families is helping kids grow up safe, healthy and drug-free. Informed Families focuses on educating, involving and empowering parents to work together in order to set boundaries and monitor their children's activities to prevent underage drinking, substance abuse and other harmful behaviors. Affiliated with the National Family Partnership, Informed Families is best known for being the Florida sponsor of the National Red Ribbon Campaign. Informed Families also boasts multiple school- and community-based prevention programs targeting youth, parents and communities. For more information on Informed Families, visit www.informedfamilies.org or call (305) 856-4886.
