NEW YORK (October 1, 2015) – The Partnership for Drug-Free Kids, a national nonprofit working to reduce substance abuse among adolescents, is joining forces with thousands of other advocacy organizations and individuals for the UNITE to Face Addiction Rally on the National Mall in Washington D.C., Sunday, October 4. The historic gathering, organized by Facing Addiction, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to finding solutions to the addiction crisis, is a culmination of grassroots advocacy efforts to organize people, communities and organizations to face addiction and stand up for recovery.
“For the 85 million Americans affected by addiction, we are honored to be part of this remarkable event to bring attention to this public health crisis,” said Marcia Lee Taylor, President and CEO of the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids. “Far too many families have had to bury a child before he could receive the proper care for a substance use disorder. Far too many families have had to call the police on their daughter because it is the only way she can get a treatment bed. Too many communities will succumb to substance abuse because funding for prevention programs has been slashed. The time is now for us to join together and demand that our leadership become part of the solution to put an end to the disease of addiction.”
“I am thrilled to join this first-of-its-kind rally with the Partnership,” shared Pamela Hanson, director of “I Thought I Knew,” a brief Partnership documentary highlighting the true stories of people affected by substance abuse, to be shown at the Rally. “This is very personal to me. I lost my son to addiction and want to help as many people understand that while this is a devastating health issue, there is hope.”
On the following day of the Rally, the Partnership and its volunteer families will participate in an advocacy day with key members of the House and Senate to garner federal support for the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (S.524/H.R.953) that would increase addiction prevention, treatment and recovery services. More than 2,000 petition signatures supporting CARA will be hand-delivered to these Members of Congress.
To learn how you can join the UNITE To Face Addiction Rally and to sign the petition to have CARA passed, please visit www.drugfree.org/Unite_To_Face_Addiction. Follow the conversation online by following #howmanyfamilies.
About the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids
The Partnership for Drug-Free Kids is dedicated to reducing substance abuse among adolescents by supporting families and engaging with teens. We develop public education campaigns that drive awareness of teen substance abuse, and lead teen-targeted efforts that inspire young people to make positive decisions to stay healthy and avoid drugs and alcohol. On our website, drugfree.org, and through our toll-free helpline (1-855-DRUGFREE), we provide families with direct support and guidance to help them address teen substance abuse. Finally, we build healthy communities, advocating for great access to adolescent treatment and funding for youth prevention programs. As a national nonprofit, we depend on donations from individuals, corporations, foundations and the public sector and are thankful to SAG-AFTRA and the advertising and media industries for their ongoing generosity. We are proud to receive a Four-Star rating from Charity Navigator, America’s largest and most-utilized independent evaluator of charities, as well as a National Accredited Charity Seal from The Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance.