In December of 2014, the Community Foundation for Nantucket awarded grants through the Nantucket Fund™ to 27 deserving Nantucket nonprofits. Now in 2015, we are excited to feature and highlight these nonprofits and their amazing efforts. We asked each recipient a series of questions that get to the heart of their organization and how it benefits our Island community. First up is a nonprofit that keeps us working together as a community to prevent and reduce substance abuse on Nantucket.
It’s the A.S.A.P…
1) How does your nonprofit help the Nantucket community?
The Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention provides education and resources for youth, caregivers and community on the issues of alcohol and substance abuse. Our goal is to reduce and/or eliminate substance abuse among youth and adult populations by creating a sustainable strategy that includes prevention, community coalition building and changing cultural norms.
2) What does our Nantucket community mean to you and your nonprofit?
The Nantucket community is very important to A.S.A.P. We are currently working on building a coalition of support for our mission by engaging all twelve sectors of the Nantucket community as well as individual businesses, groups and associations.
A.S.A.P would like to see a community of healthy individuals who can provide positive role models for its youth. Substance abuse and addiction are public health issues, which threaten the vitality of a community.
3) Tell us a specific story of how your nonprofit has benefited someone in our Nantucket community.
A.S.A.P strives to reach a broad audience so it is difficult to tell a story concerning an individual. I can tell you however, that following the presentations that were given this year, one in October on opiate addiction and a recent presentation from Operation Parent, we received much positive feed back and comments and were asked if there would be more informative events in the future.
4) In one sentence, tell us your thoughts on the Community Foundation for Nantucket and how you think it benefits the Nantucket community and all your efforts as a nonprofit.
The Community Foundation for Nantucket is a valuable asset to our community at large as it provides funding for many important initiatives that otherwise would not come to fruition.
5) Where did your grant dollars specifically go this year?
This year was ASAP’s first funding experience with the Community Foundation for Nantucket. We used the funds to hire a speaker from an organization called Operation Parent to give two presentations to parents, caregivers and community members, on the issues of Social Media and Facts about Drugs and Alcohol.
6) Any event dates for your nonprofit coming up in 2015?
The Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention is helping to sponsor an event with the Nantucket Behavioral Health Task Force on March 28, 2015. It is a symposium featuring Dr. Amy Yule, an adolescent psychiatrist with the Addiction Management Recovery Services program with Partners Health.
We are also sponsoring a presentation with Ms. Ginger Katz from the Courage to Speak Foundation on heroin addiction and youth empowerment. She will present to community members on May 14th and to the middle school student population on May 15, 2015.
For further information on the A.S.A.P, Contact:
Holly McGowan or Carrie Keyes
Email: hollymcgowan@comcast.net
Phone: 508-221-0392
and follow them on Facebook!
Thank you A.S.A.P. for keeping Nantucket healthy!