Informed Families Unveils Changes to Springtime Campaign with New Name, Free Toolkits for Educators and Parents, and More
MIAMI, May 1, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — To educate parents about the importance of setting boundaries and monitoring behavior to prevent underage drinking and youth drug use during prom, graduation and summertime festivities, Informed Families is kicking off its statewide initiative and springtime campaign, Safe Homes Smart Parties®. Informed Families will promote the program on its website, www.informedfamilies.org/shsp, as well as in schools across Florida.
Safe Homes Smart Parties® is implemented by parents/caregivers of teens and pre-teens to ensure that drugs, alcohol and cigarettes will not be permitted at parties held in their homes, and discouraged at parties in the community.
Formerly named Safe Homes Safe Parties®, the new campaign name reflects that a "smart" party involves good judgment and good decisions, but still involves fun. Other new features of the campaign, featured on Informed Families' website at www.informedfamilies.org/shsp, are:
- Free toolkits, for educators and parents/caregivers across Florida to use at schools, PTA and community groups. The kits include morning announcement messages, parent flyers, youth posters, pledges for parents and youth, and more. Parent flyers include tips for parents and an image of a bottle of "Common Sense" as the only thing they need to serve their children.
- Tools for parents (tips for attending and hosting parties, tips for when parents are out of town, and a parent report card tool)
- The Safe Homes Smart Parties pledge: Between April 15 and May 15, 2014, parents/caregivers who take the pledge will automatically be entered for a chance to win a $100 Publix gift card. They can take the pledge at www.informedfamilies.org/shsp, or sign a pledge at a school participating in the Safe Home Smart Parties program.
"Every year, we hear of unthinkable tragedies involving teenagers who lose their lives to driving under the influence or drug overdose during prom and graduation season," said Informed Families/The Florida Family Partnership President & CEO Peggy Sapp. "By taking simple preventative steps, parents can save themselves and their children from disaster. We encourage all sectors of the community to get involved in spreading the important message that Safe Homes Smart Parties conveys."
Each year, nearly 5,000 individuals under the age of 21 die from binge drinking nationwide. In 2011, there were more than 188,000 visits to the emergency room due to underage drinking in the U.S., according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration – 71,000 of which were individuals between 12 and 17 years old.
Safe Homes Smart Parties is one of Informed Families' four prevention campaigns, including Family Day (September), Red Ribbon Week (October) and Lock Your Meds® (January–February).
About Informed Families
A non-profit organization founded in 1982, the mission of Informed Families is helping kids grow up safe, healthy and drug-free. Informed Families focuses on educating, involving and empowering parents to work together to set boundaries and monitor their children's behavior to prevent underage drinking, substance abuse and other harmful behaviors. Affiliated with the National Family Partnership, Informed Families is best known for being the Florida Sponsor of the National Red Ribbon Campaign. Informed Families also boasts multiple school and community based prevention programs targeting youth, parents and communities. For more information on Informed Families, please visit informedfamilies.org, or call (305) 856-4886.
Media contact:
Duree Ross, Duree & Company, Inc.
954-723-9350/ Email