Catalyst

Informed Families Catalyst

President’s Message: The Hidden Danger of Party Drugs

Posted by Peggy B. Sapp, President & CEO on March 8, 2025 at 4:30 PM

March is here, and it’s time to talk about something that’s putting young people at serious risk—dangerous party drugs being disguised as something else. A synthetic stimulant called N,N-dimethylpentylone is being sold as MDMA (also known as ecstasy or molly), but it’s far more harmful than people realize.

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Topics: President's Message, lock your meds, club drugs, safe parties, safe homes smart parties, alcohol, Informed Families, lock your meds pledge, alcohol use, summer, alcohol abuse, substance abuse, spring break

Unpacking the Significance of “Hug Your Kids Day”

Posted by Informed Families on July 14, 2023 at 1:46 PM

Every year, July 17th is celebrated as "Hug Your Kids Day." This occasion serves as a reminder for parents of the importance of showing affection to their children, but it should not be a once-a-year event. Love and warmth are vital every day in a child's life, as they directly contribute to a child's emotional and psychological development.

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Topics: summer, mental health, love, affection, hug

Empowering Families: A Guide to Navigating the Digital World Safely

Posted by Informed Families on July 3, 2023 at 9:43 AM

In today's interconnected world, digital technology has become an integral part of our daily lives.

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Topics: parenting, positive parenting, Facebook, summer, miami, tiktok, instagram, snap chat

These Three are Key

Posted by Informed Families on June 24, 2023 at 10:32 PM

What do Education, Prevention, and Law Enforcement have in common?

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Topics: drugs, opioids, summer, fentanyl, miami, mental health

38th Annual Informed Families Dinner at Joe’s Stone Crab

Posted by Informed Families on June 17, 2023 at 11:50 PM

Helping Kids Grow Up Safe, Healthy, and Drug-Free

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Topics: Joe's Stone Crab, drugs, opioids, summer, fentanyl, miami, mental health

Summertime Safety: Educating Kids on the Dangers of Substance Misuse

Posted by Informed Families on June 10, 2023 at 9:43 PM

Summertime is a season filled with joy, adventure, and the perfect opportunity for kids (and educators!) to take a break from their studies and enjoy some well-deserved fun.  However, it's crucial to acknowledge that the summer months can also present potential risks, particularly when it comes to substance misuse among children. 

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Topics: drugs, opioids, summer, fentanyl, mental health

Embrace the Summer: The Importance of Family Time

Posted by Peggy B. Sapp, President & CEO on June 8, 2023 at 1:15 PM

President's Message - June 2023

I am always amazed by how different people approach the drug problem. The predominant approach is, "I'm going to learn everything about drugs," and then, "I'm going to tell others all about everything I've learned, and that will save them." However, becoming a drug expert does not stop the drug problem. 
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Topics: President's Message, family bonding, Informed Families, summer, Family Table Time

Grandparent of the Month - June

Posted by Informed Families on June 29, 2020 at 6:06 PM

Grandparent of the Month June 2020 -1

 

Orlando resident Ms. Jones is helping to care for four of her grandchildren this summer. Parents have to return to work, but most summer camps have to limit the number of children they accept as a result of the pandemic and CDC social distancing guidelines. Ms. Jones has taken on the responsibility of being there for her grandkids. She enjoys doing fun activities with them.

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Topics: orlando, Informed Families, summer, grandparents, grandchildren, orange county

Family-Friendly Summer Activities

Posted by Informed Families on June 12, 2020 at 9:00 AM

Orginally published in Miami Kids magazine. 

Summer is finally here! We are all ready for a much needed break from homeschooling, and looking forward to some fun. However a less structured day, and minimal supervision can spell trouble for some kids and teens.

“It’s hard to keep tabs on your kids in the summer. Having family rules are essential all year, but perhaps even more so during the summer. They help keep kids, especially teens, out of trouble and give parents a little bit of peace of mind that their kids know guidelines exist and hopefully will be followed,” said Peggy Sapp, Informed Families President and CEO.

Establishing family rules are important. What are your rules? If you want to learn how to set and establish rules, contact Mery Dominguez at mdominguez@informedfamilies.org or 305-856-4886 about joining an Informed Families’ Parent Peer Group.

Spending time together as a family is great too. If you are looking for some ideas, don’t worry we have got you covered. Check out the list of activities of family-friendly summer activities below.

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Topics: tips, parent involvement, positive parenting, communication, family bonding, children, Informed Families, family rules, drug prevention, summer, healthy kids

President's Message - May 2019

Posted by Peggy B. Sapp, President & CEO on May 28, 2019 at 9:00 AM

Summer Is A Good Time to Refocus On Prevention  

Another busy school year is coming to a close and we are all looking forward to having some down time and reconnecting with family. The start of summer is a critical time to talk with your kids about risky behaviors. Teens and college students most often use substances for the first time during June or July, according to SAMHSA's National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) data on adolescents – 2012  and NSDUH data on full-time college students – 2015.

Unfortunately it’s not as easy for parents to recognize that their child might be experimenting with alcohol or drugs. JUUL e-cigarettes that look like USB flash drives, flasks disguised as lotion containers, sunscreen or smart phone cases, and CBD gummies can be hidden in plain sight. These items can all be purchased online. Talk to your kids about the dangers of using drugs or alcohol and arm them with the knowledge they need to make healthy choices. If you need some talking points take a look at these 11 Tips For Talking To Your Kids About Drugs & Alcohol

It might be hard to acknowledge if your child has a substance abuse problem. It’s also difficult to find help. Many parents often ask - what should I do if my child is dealing with an addiction or mental health issue? The good news is a newly proposed Comprehensive Addiction Resources Emergency (CARE) Act 2019 would help provide the infrastructure and community building that is are critical to getting them the care they need.

Peggy

 

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Topics: President's Message, parenting, college students, teens, peer pressure, e-cigarettes, drug use, parents, alcohol use, summer, healthy kids, juul

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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