Sep 30 2003

Graham Announces $100,000 to Fight Drug Abuse Among Spartanburg County Youth

WASHINGTON- U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today announced the City of Spartanburg, fiscal agent for the Spartanburg Youth Council, will receive a $99,693 Drug Free Community grant to support their efforts to reduce substance abuse among youth in Spartanburg County. The funds will be used to establish a research-based family strengthening program to: Improve family discipline and supervision, reduce family management problems, and improve bonding; Develop youth leadership opportunities to enhance protective factors; disseminate information about the dangers of using alcohol, tobacco and other drugs; Strengthen interagency collaboration; Expand the coalition; Implement environmental policies with support from the community. “Coalitions like this help South Carolina’s youth avoid the pitfalls of abusing drugs and alcohol,” said Graham. “They take a unique approach to this serious problem, addressing not only law enforcement and education, but also getting families actively involved in the lives of their children.” The Drug-Free Communities Program provides grants of up to $100,000 to community organizations that serve as catalysts for citizen participation in local drug prevention efforts. 183 new grants totaling $17.5 million were awarded today to community anti-drug coalitions across the country. The grants were awarded by the U.S. Department of Justice. ####