Reality Check Coalition Reaching Out to Milwaukee Community
Safe & Sound is an integral part of the Milwaukee Reality Check Coalition which focuses on reducing youth access to alcohol and drugs. The MRCC is a Drug Free Communities Coalition that has been in existence since 2003. Safe & Sound was also awarded a DFC grant in October of 2011 for the Drugs ↓ = Youth ↑: 27th Street West Drug Free Coalition and will benefit significantly from the involvement and experience gained with MRCC over the years.
DFC Coalitions seek environmental change at a population level over a five to ten year span. In order to accomplish this Coalitions utilize a variety of means to reach out to the community to gather information and provide resources and messaging to prevent youth from using drugs and alcohol. Safe & Sound’s primary role with the Coalition is outreach with corner stores, residents and youth by going door-to-door and talking with individuals and families about this important issue. A variety of outreach brochures and posters have been developed for the different audiences. In addition, Safe & Sound leverages the 29 Safe Places to provide the information and resources to even more youth in Milwaukee through campaigns like Red Ribbon Week. Providing training is another significant means of spreading the message and the Certified Alcohol Server Training is a great example.
Another excellent resource that is being implemented in several neighborhoods in Milwaukee is Respect 21, a research-based program with the goal of helping retailers improve or establish effective methods to enhance and support their efforts to prevent sales of alcohol to minors. The program is unique in that it not only provides retailers with tools and resources for helping prevent youth access to alcohol but also shows results that are both measurable and academically evaluated. To date, the program has had success in over 20 communities across the country.
The MRCC developed a website and just recently created a Facebook page to reach yet another segment of the Milwaukee Community. Check out the links below for even more information on how to reduce access and save lives!
LINK: Milwaukee Reality Check Facebook Page
LINK: Milwaukee Reality Check Coalition website
