The Eastwick Press Newspaper

Eastern Rensselaer County's Community Newspaper

Hoosick’s HAYC3 Community Coalition In Contention For National Honor

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by Deborah Alter
HAYC3’s Community Coalition is in the running for a prestigious national award from the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America. The award recognizes established coalitions for successfully implementing comprehensive and collaborative strategies to achieve one or more targeted community-level multiple substance abuse programs. It is the highest honor CADCA bestows.
[private]In October of 2012, Public Health Advisor Angela Richardson of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA) joined HAYC3’s Community Coalition for its regular monthly meeting. While the purpose of Richardson’s visit was to ensure that HAYC3 was meeting the requirements of the Drug-Free Community Grant program, Richardson was so impressed that she left the meeting with a new goal for the group: winning the CADCA’s Coalition of the Year Award.
“Simply having a DFC (Drug Free Communities, a SAMHSA agency) representative suggest that we are operating at that level of excellence is an honor and a tribute to all the Coalition members who have worked to build a healthier and more united community,” said Amanda Haar, Coalition Chair. Comprised of volunteers representing a variety of sectors of the community (i.e. schools, parents, police, faith, social services, etc.), the Coalition meets monthly to discuss and develop community-building events and forge connections among the many organizations that serve the community.
“In the month of May alone, HAYC3 assisted 23 community organizations with events and programs,” said Aelish Nealon, Executive Director of HAYC3. “It’s that kind of pulling together to help one another succeed that is helping to unite the Hoosick community. In addition, HAYC3 has been developing community-minded efforts, like the weekly Farmers Market and the Music in Hoosick program, providing opportunities for neighbors and friends to gather and support each other in a healthy and productive way.”
The lengthy award application was submitted on June 26 and will be reviewed by the CADCA over the following few weeks. Qualifying Coalitions will be invited to participate in a second tier of review. The winning Coalition will be announced in August.[/private]