ROCKINGHAM — Two grants have been given to the Richmond County Drug Endangered Task Force. The Board of Commissioners approved these funds last week.
People in North Carolina’s Community Impact gave the most money, $40,000 in grants.
The interim head of the Department of Social Services, Theressa Smith, said that the money will be used to help DEFT do its job, which is to “prevent prescription and illegal drug overdoses.”
In order to lower overdoses and make care easier to get, the task force will work with other groups, make people more aware of the problem, and teach the public about it.
On the agenda are activities like promoting, buying medicine lockboxes and drug disposal pouches, making a training curriculum, and more.
Smith told the commissioners, “We are going to…..be focusing a lot on our youth services and how to get the word out to the young people in our community about the risks of using different drugs.”
Smith said that CINC has given funds to DEFT in the past.
Also, Addiction Professionals of North Carolina gave DEFT a $500 Recovery Month grant. This money will be used to hold a recovery-themed event for the community later this month.
The event will take place at Cole Auditorium from 9 to 11 a.m. on September 25 and will feature guest speakers who will talk about:
- Becoming a peer support specialist
- Overcoming addiction
- Stigma and recovery
- Supporting a loved one in addiction recovery
Call Smith at 910-997-8379 or Kendra Faries at 910-997-8292 to find out more about that event.
(Disclosure: The writer is a member of the task group from the media but does not have the power to vote.)
Steve’s Wings for Humanity, a charity group, will hold the first Walk for Sobriety at the Richmond County Airport on September 21 at noon. This event is also part of Recovery Month.
The event page on Facebook says, “We invite everyone to come out and celebrate their recovery.” “You are welcome even if you have never dealt with addiction yourself. We want to help you.” It is one of the hardest things a person can do to get over an addiction, which is why it should be praised.
Call Melissa Schoonover at 910-417-8740 to find out more about the Walk for Sobriety.
According to data provided last month by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, from June 2023 to May 2024, 67.8 out of every 100,000 people in Richmond County died from fentanyl. This was the second-highest rate of any county in the country.
According to information given to the Drug Endangered Family Task Force earlier this summer, a 15-year-old girl died in May from an overdose.
Before accepting the funds, the commissioners signed a proclamation making September Senior Center Month.
There are four senior centers in Richmond County to help the older people who live there: Rockingham, East Rockingham, Ellerbe, and Hamlet.
First on the list was a report on the Richmond County Partnership for Children by Dr. Katrina Chance, who is the Executive Director.
Chance said that earlier this month, Gov. Roy Cooper signed an order making September Smart Start Month.
Chance said, “This is very important because we value early care and education.”
Positive Childhood Alliance NC, which used to be called Prevent Child Abuse NC, just gave RCPC a $50,000 grant. Chance said that the money would be used to make the Family Resource Center better.
Smart Start only gives money to programs for kids younger than 5 years old, so Chance said that RCPC would use the $50,000 grant to help the families in the Circle of Parents group who are no longer eligible.
Chance said, “We don’t want the families to come, let the kids out when they turn 5.” “The $50,000 is used to help those families stay with us until they are ready to go home.” That is why we call it “Forever Families.”
Chance says that the Circle of Parents Group began with two groups at the height of the COVID outbreak. One group met at Place of Grace, and the other met online.
Angeline David, a councilwoman from Dobbins Heights, was called up by Chance to say a few words. David is the “mother” of the group and is one of the Circle of Parents leaders.
The mother of two said, “We have a great group… the staff is like part of my family.”
David said, “We just love and care for each other.”
Even though the group is called Circle of Parents, Chance said that any “caring adults of children” are welcome to join. For example, David brings her 3-year-old great-nephew, so “you don’t have to birth a child to be part of the families.”
Chance finished her time at the podium by asking the commissioners to give the county money.
„Because I know you all know how important it is for our preschool and school programs. It all starts with our kids at home. And in the long run, the country won’t be ready if our kids aren’t ready.