Celebrating 10 Years of Being a DFC Coalition
The Drug-Free Communities (DFC) grant funds community-based coalitions who bring multiple sectors of the community together to prevent youth substance use. This grant gives coalitions $125,000 per year for up to 10 years, allowing them to implement initiatives, build community partnerships, and create sustainability plans. Turning Point Coalition (TPC) became a DFC coalition in September 2014, and they finished their tenth and final year with the grant in September 2024. Here are some highlights from the last ten years:
Coalition Membership - TPC members represent various agencies and community-based groups including Anazao, Boys & Girls Club, Catholic Charities, Goodwill, MEDWAY, The Mental Health & Recovery Board of Wayne and Holmes Counties, O'Huddle, Orrville City Schools, Orrville Police Dept., Orrville Public Library, Salvation Army, United Way, Wayne County Juvenile Court, and the YMCA. Other members include parents, students, and citizens who share a goal of making Orrville safe and substance-free.
Community Education - One of TPC's goals was to educate community members, business owners, parents, and students about the dangers posed by substances. These efforts included TIPS (Training for Intervention Procedures) alcohol vendor trainings, Alcohol Literacy Challenge, Hidden in Plain Sight, and Landlord Forums. TPC also published Parent Alerts and Turning Point Times which have information and resources to keep readers up to date on substances, mental health, and other prevention-related information.
Community Events - TPC knows one way to reduce substance use is to provide activities for families to attend together. A couple successful events TPC has done for many years are Pizza & Books and Hometown Tailgate. These events are done in partnership with Orrville Public Library.
Financial Support - TPC used some of their funding to support the efforts being made by their partners, including sending Orrville Police Officers to DARE Officer Training, purchasing asset-building supplies for the library, and helping Orrville City Schools launch their Comfy Closet and Rachel's Challenge anti-bullying initiatives.
Marketing Campaigns - TPC used billboards, yard signs, decals, and banners to deliver messages about the importance of staying substance-free. Parents Who Host Lose the Most, Talk to Your Kids They're Listening, and anti-vaping decals are a few of the campaigns they used.
RAPA (Riders are Peer Advocates) Teen Institute - TPC sponsored RAPA Teen Institute which is a group of high school students who work together to prevent substance use, build assets, and make a difference for their peers. RAPA gives students an opportunity to learn leadership skills, gain community service experience, and get involved in prevention. RAPA members have volunteered at community events like Hometown Tailgate and Haunted Halls, done anti-vaping presentations to seventh grade health classes, organized alternative prom activities and campaigns like Prom Promise, and created a billboard. RAPA members attended the CADCA National Leadership Forum in Washington D.C. on multiple occasions, giving members the opportunity to meet other youth coalitions throughout the country.
These highlights are just a few of the many things TPC did with DFC funding. Their efforts led to them being 1 of 11 coalitions nationwide who are being recognized as a 2024 CADCA Blue Ribbon Coalition for significant contributions to community-level substance use outcomes. TPC is continuing its work to prevent substance use, and is looking forward to building on its successes.
Check out the link below to learn more about DFC coalitions.
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