August 2014 Newsletter | notMYkid.org
August 6, 2014
In This Issue
notMYkid Updates
notMYkid Announces "Back to School" Campaign 
With each new school year, our kids will be required to pass a number of tests. None is more important than the test they'll face when pressured to use drugs by their peers. Often a simple "no" isn't enough to deflect peer pressure and allow a child to save face with their friends.  


 

Peer pressure is just one of a number of reasons why notMYkid encourages parents to consider home drug testing as part of a family substance abuse prevention plan. Not only does it provide an out for your child, it offers you the peace of mind that comes with knowing for sure that your child is drug free.  Additionally, it can be used as part of an incentive system that rewards the child for clean test results.  


 

That's why notMYkid has announced our first annual national "Back to School" substance abuse prevention campaign. Just in time for the new school year, notMYkid has teamed up with Rural/Metro to bring substance abuse prevention tools to families and communities in 13 locations across the United States.  As part of the event, notMYkid will give away thousands of free drug test kits and substance abuse prevention plans in order to better equip families to prevent drug use.  

We've designed a special "Back to School" section on our website, featuring information on campaign locations, media clips, family drug prevention packets, and a discussion about the top misconceptions about teen drug use  The event kicks off August 12th through 16th in five Arizona locations.  Be sure to have a look and see when we'll be in your area.   
notMYkid in the Community
notMYkid's Sam Burba Featured at Drug Takeback Event 
Gilbert prescription drug take back  
On Thursday, July 31st, notMYkid's Sam Burba was featured in a special event designed to announce the creation of 10 new locations for citizens to drop off their unused and unwanted prescription medications and to educate the public on the need to dispose of unused prescription drugs.  Burba shared a portion of his personal story and emphasized the importance of family drug prevention plans. Attorney General Tom Horne and Stephanie Siete from Community Bridges also spoke at the ceremony, highlighting Arizona's prescription drug abuse epidemic.

For more information on prescription drug drop off locations in Arizona, please visit:  
http://www.acpa.net/arizona_drug_disposal_locations.aspx   
Diamondbacks Anti-Bullying Grant Creates Major Impact 
 
Last fall, the Arizona Diamondbacks gave notMYkid a very generous $100,000 grant to "Strike Out Bullying."  We were excited by the potential of what the grant would allow us to accomplish and how it could be used to positively impact students and families throughout Arizona. We now have the final results of what that grant allowed us to accomplish, and the numbers are exciting.

The grant helped notMYkid take anti-bullying presentations and a message of positive life choices to 104 schools and 11 community organizations over the course of 246 presentations. We reached 26,287 students, and 1,888 parents and school faculty members.

When it comes to preventing negative youth behaviors, knowledge is key. Thanks to the Diamondbacks, 28,175 more people in Arizona are now empowered and equipped with the necessary knowledge and tools to prevent and address bullying. notMYkid would like to thank the Arizona Diamondbacks for truly making a difference in the lives of many people.
   
notMYkid July Donor Spotlight: BHHS Legacy Foundation

BHHS Legacy Foundation awarded notMYkid a grant totaling $19,000 to support prevention education programs for schools in the Foundation's Tri-state region. The programming will begin this summer and will include student, facility, and parent training on a variety of notMYkid's behavioral topics.  notMYkid is so grateful for BHHS Legacy Foundation's continued support of our programming in the Valley and we are excited to partner on this project to make a positive impact on the Tri-state region.     

Parent Blog - "May We Never Forget"

 

 

by Shane Watson

Each week I speak to groups of parents and school faculty members about substance abuse prevention. During the presentation, there's a particular slide that often seems to get a significant reaction from those in attendance. It's based on research findings from the Center for Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University. The slide shows a disconnect between parents and kids when it comes to the idea of children using drugs to cope with stress.

A mere seven percent of parents believe their child would use drugs to cope with stress. Meanwhile, 73% of kids with substance abuse issues attribute their drug use to stress. Those statistics, in and of themselves, show a significant misunderstanding. However, the reaction that often follows the revelation of those stats only further illustrates the misunderstanding.

(Click here to read the rest of the blog on notMYkid.org)
You make it possible for notMYkid to take a message of hope and positive life choices to students, parents, and educators in Arizona.  It's because of your generosity that notMYkid is able to reach so many young people across the state and prevent the pain, sorrow, and even death that can result from destructive youth behaviors. 
 
Suzanne at table  
donate button
 
Your donation is tax-deductible.  Please click the button above to support notMYkid's prevention education programs.  

 
At notMYkid, we inspire positive life choices by educating our community about the consequences of destructive youth behaviors. Young adults who have overcome life-controlling addictions and behaviors share their personal stories with middle and high school students. In an effort to promote our prevention message we educate adults on the same addictions and destructive behaviors. Our goal is to increase awareness of the challenges kids face, provide information, and offer resources to support the success of students, families, and educators.

Stay Connected with notMYkid

         Pinterest Vimeo Button        
notMYkid | 602-652-0163 | [email protected] | http://www.notmykid.org
5230 East Shea Boulevard
Suite 100
Scottsdale, AZ 85254




Copyright � 2014. All Rights Reserved.