About I CARE
I CARE Highlights
In addition to raising community awareness and involvement in preventing youth substance use, I CARE provides a networking opportunity for members to share ideas, strategies, issues, and resources (both cash and in-kind). It also provides a vehicle for collaborative grant partnerships. Since fiscal year 2002, three collaborative grants have been sponsored by I CARE with a total dollar value of $472,455. Programs supported by these funds have greatly impacted both youth and parents in a positive way. Several new prevention programs and strategies have been implemented as a direct result of the I CARE Coalition. Some examples include:Prevention Programming
- Community-based substance abuse prevention programs were either started or enhanced through the distribution of mini-grants. $30,000 was distributed over a three-year period to thirty grass-roots organizations impacting over 1,500 Hanover citizens. 95% of the mini-grant recipients were from the faith community.
- Four facilitators from I CARE are trained to implement "Guiding
Good Choices -
Families That Care."
Underage Drinking Prevention
- Enforcement activities by the Sheriff's Office supported retail efforts to keep teens alcohol-free. During the six month reporting period in 2004, there were 92 attempts at retail locations in Hanover to buy alcohol using an approved underage buyer. Of those, 60 of the attempts were rejected by the store clerk.
- The Youth In Action Team coordinated Project Sticker Shock during the holidays.
Youth placed an estimated 1,500 awareness stickers on beer cases at five retail locations in Hanover. The stickers sent the message:
Know The Law...Prevent Underage Drinking...
It is illegal for any person 21 or older to purchase or provide alcohol to minors.
- "Hanover Parents CARE"- An environmental prevention strategy called social norms marketing was used for the first time in Hanover to change attitudes and behaviors. Parents of high school teens were surveyed about family rules and norms regarding underage drinking prevention. Evaluation data showed that parental perceptions changed in a positive direction after the community was saturated with the proactive parenting messages including: Parents have a powerful voice in their teen's lives. Keep talking. Kids do listen. 87% of Hanover parents report having clear family rules with their teenagers about not drinking alcohol. Most (97%) Hanover parents feel they have an influence over their teens decision not to drink alcohol. 8 out of 10 Hanover parents have discussed family rules with their teenagers about not drinking alcohol.
- Teens CARE Too coordinated the distribution of underage drinking prevention materials throughout the business community as part of the "Hanover Parents CARE" social norms marketing initiative. Youth distributed packets of materials to 250 community retail sites. All items promoted the social norms messages detailed above. Items included bookmarks, tray liners, posters, pens, cups, table tents, and post cards. Teens volunteered their evenings and spring vacation to participate in this community project.
Tobacco Prevention
- I CARE partnered with the schools to survey middle school students about their attitudes
regarding tobacco use. Social norms marketing strategies were used to change youth
perceptions about the prevalence of youth smoking.
94% of Hanover middle school kids feel that tobacco use is never a good thing. 9 out of 10 Hanover middle schoolers have never tried a cigarette...not even one puff! That's a breath of fresh air!
Priorities for 2005 - 2006
- Web Page development
- Coordinate the Virginia Community Youth Survey
- Continue Community Awareness/Education
- Continue monthly articles in papers
- Inform parents via school email when appropriate
- Continue partnership with Hanover's Promise and Richmond Drug-Free Alliance (represent I CARE at meetings/events)
- Provide parenting resource information at community events
- Sponsor/facilitate "Guiding Good Choices - Families That Care"
- Research/write grant for youth prevention programming
How To Get Involved
The ICARE Coalition meets the last Tuesday of every month at the Atlee High School Library, 5:00 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. Any changes to the meeting date/time will be posted under What’s New. I CARE also maintains an extensive email network to share updates and activities. Membership is open to any interested youth, parent, citizen, or agency representative. Leadership is shared between a citizen member and a county staff member who serve together as co-chairs. Meeting facilitation is shared among the I CARE members. Feel free to contact us for additional information!Meeting Minutes
Download the August 2008 CARE Meeting Minutes document (PDF)Download the September 2008 CARE Meeting Minutes document (PDF)
Download the October 2008 CARE Meeting Minutes document (PDF)
Help with downloads is provided should you need assistance.
