Reviewed by: Cecilia Wood
Beating addiction is hard—here are 5 ways you can make it easier this holiday season
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It’s the season of giving, and local nonprofits are pulling out all the stops to help those in the community in all sorts of ways. One that caught our eye is Addiction Prevention Coalition—a nonprofit community resource that aims to eliminate addiction in Central Alabama. Here’s how the organization is making a positive difference during the holidays in Birmingham.
1. Project Holiday Hope
Great news—APC’s Project Holiday Hope Campaign is back this year and you can be part of the positive impact it has on Birmingham.
The Project Holiday Hope campaign invites staff members and local volunteers to write notes of encouragement inside holiday cards to those in Substance Use Treatment Programs around the Greater Birmingham Area.
Last year, the campaign created 300 holiday cards. Learn more about Project Holiday Hope and its success in December 2020.
On Friday, December 17, APC is hosting a Project Holiday Hope Volunteer Day and they want you to join. All you have to do is visit APC on this special day between 11AM and 2PM and hand-write positive notes of encouragement on the Christmas cards provided.
It’s also a great time to meet APC’s incredible staff members and learn about the amazing things they do for Birmingham.
“I’m so filled with joy to finally be sober after many years of struggling. I couldn’t wait to put something positive on paper for someone who just might need a random word of encouragement from a random person.
And so many wonderful kindred spirits came through to help write more cards than I could have hoped for! I think this is a beautiful project and I am blessed to be a part of it.”
Andra Laxton, Volunteer
Event Details:
What: Project Holiday Hope Volunteer Day
When: Friday, December 17 | 11AM-2PM
Where: Addiction Prevention Coalition, 324 Commons Dr, Birmingham, AL 35209
2. Parents of Addicted Loved Ones (PAL)
For those struggling with knowing how to cope well with a loved one dealing with addiction, remember that APC is your PAL.
Parents of Addicted Loved Ones (PAL) offers education and support for parents, family members, friends and loved ones struggling with substance use disorder. And it all takes place in-person during weekly meetings that offer hope and understanding.
Meetings occur weekly on Thursdays from 6:30-8PM at The Moore Institute. No fee is required and drop-ins are welcome.
PAL Meeting Details:
What: Parents of Addicted Loved Ones (PAL) Meetings with Addiction Prevention Coalition
When: Weekly on Thursdays | 6:30-8PM
Where: The Moore Institute, 4126 Autumn Lane, Vestavia Hills, AL 35243
Contact: 205.616.8867
3. Recovery Treatment Through Scholarships
Each year, APC hosts their End Addiction Walk (formerly the End Heroin Walk), drawing over 3000 participants from across the Greater Birmingham Area.
Through Walk proceeds, APC does something truly amazing—they provide partial scholarships for people who want to go to treatment in Alabama, but are unable to afford the admission fee.
Some organizations they have worked with to provide scholarships include:
- Bradford Health Services
- Fellowship House Inc.
- The Foundry Ministries
- IMPACT Recovery Center
- Turning Point
4. Underage Drinking Prevention
As a parent, you may think your kids don’t listen to a word you say. But, through much research, APC has discovered that parents are the number one reason young people decide not to drink or use drugs.
To help young adults in Birmingham make good choices, APC’s underage drinking campaign is a great start. Why? Because it provides guidance for both kids and parents.
When you visit APC’s website, you’ll discover their Parent Toolbox. Here, parents can download tons of valuable information for kids in middle, junior and high school, such as:
- Addiction prevention tips
- Alcohol guides for families
- Parent-child conversation starters
5. Recovery Support Through Special Events
Substance use disorder and recovery are not only difficult, but they can also be lonely for the millions going through it. One way APC helps those in recovery is by hosting events that highlight people in the Birmingham community who have been through both substance use disorder, but made it through recovery to the other side.
On Tuesday, December 21, APC hosts their next free recovery story event featuring Nathaniel Robinson—a post doctoral fellow at UAB.
During this virtual event, Nathaniel will take you along his journey with substance use disorder and recovery and how he now works to help others going through the same struggles he once did.
What: Recovery Story: Nathaniel Robinson
When: Tuesday, December 21 | 5:30-6:30PM
Where: Virtual
Price: Free
Register
Addiction Prevention Coalition’s 2021 Accomplishments
Along with the five things we mentioned in this article, APC does many more important projects and campaigns throughout the year to help and educate those in the Greater Birmingham Area on substance use disorder and recovery.
Here are some of their yearly stats that we know will impress you:
- End Heroin Bham 16.6 Challenge: People Attended:266 | Funds Raised: $42,414
- Hours Donated to APC: Volunteer hours: 2,426 (increased from 2,209) | Intern Hours: 886
- Prevention handouts distributed: 2,000
- Web views of parent toolbox & Find Help Page: 3,000
- Book Bag Drive: 500 backpacks filled with school supplies and a prevention packet for parents were distributed to Birmingham City School students.
- Parents of Addiction Loved Ones (PAL): 2 groups completed in 2021 | 60+ families served
- Students: 10 high schools around Birmingham with infects student chapters. | 40 student campaigns, events, presentations + training sessions
Curious to learn more of APC’s 2021 stats and accomplishments? Hop over here.
To stay-in-the-know about the amazing things Addiction Prevention Coalition is doing for the Greater Birmingham Area, check out their website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
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