Catalyst

Informed Families Catalyst

Informed Families Welcomes Outstanding New Board Members

Posted by Informed Families on January 22, 2019 at 8:41 PM

Three new trustees represent organizations with a long-standing commitment to prevention.

Jessi Berrin serves as Director of Development for Baptist Health South Florida, the largest not-for-profit healthcare organization in the South Florida region spanning Monroe, Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties. She is responsible for a comprehensive and robust development program with an emphasis on donor-driven philanthropy to support South Florida’s brand new, state-of-the-art Miami Cancer Institute. Jessi graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Florida in May 2007, with a Bachelor’s Degree in Telecommunications and an outside concentration in Business Administration. Shortly after graduating, Jessi landed a position as an Associate Producer at WPLG, Local 10 News in Miami, Florida where she wrote and produced the morning news program. In 2012, Jessi officially became a “Double Gator” by receiving a Master’s in Business Administration from The University of Florida. Berrin joined the IF Board of Trustees in January.

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Topics: prevention, volunteer, Informed Families, drug prevention

Volunteer Spotlight: Melanie Williams of Orlando

Posted by Informed Families on April 25, 2016 at 4:33 PM

Melanie Williams, a mother of four and an active PTSA volunteer in Orlando, wants to do everything she can to protect her children and others in the community from the devastating consequences associated with drug abuse and addiction.

“Drug prevention is so important because drug abuse is so silently dangerous,” said Williams. “It’s easy for kids to get involved with drugs and it’s so damaging to the body; it destroys lives.”

Williams, a mother of four boys ages 10, 13, 15 and 16, became involved with Informed Families after being invited by a school guidance counselor to attend an Informed Families Parent Peer Group Leader training in Orange County last November.  

“The material at the training was mind boggling,” said Melanie. “I learned so much. I’m an involved parent with kids in three different schools. And yet some of the stuff from the training, I really had no clue about. I asked my 16-year-old son, ‘do you know about this?’ He said, ‘yes.’ Attending the training was truly transformative for me. I realized that I need to pay more attention to what my children are learning and what they are exposed to.”

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Topics: addiction, orlando, volunteer, drug abuse, parent peer group, parents

3 Reasons to Volunteer in Florida

Posted by Richard Dimarco Barea on February 18, 2015 at 2:45 PM

Volunteering is a great way to make a difference and connect with others! Informed Families has developed a tight-knit community of hundreds of Prevention Ambassadors in Florida who have served and received the benefits of volunteerism for over 30 years. While everyone volunteers for different reasons, there are three motivations that drive us to lend our time:

  1. Personal Growth
  2. Familial Development
  3. Community Involvement

Your volunteering choices should be based on your desire to impact others, but can also help you grow, improve your connections with family and members of the community.

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Topics: volunteer, volunteer in florida

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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