Contact: Shana Stribling 202.224.0309 Stacy Burks 417.864.8258
Tuesday, October 21, 2003

WASHINGTON, DC U.S. Senator Kit Bond today announced that the Department of Justice (DOJ) will send a Lincoln County anti-drug group almost $100,000 in federal funds to help fight drug use.

"Anti-drug programs like Lincoln County's will help us reach our children before they fall victim to drugs," said Bond. "It is important that we teach our children how to make healthy and safe choices."

The DOJ's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention's Drug-Free Communities Support Program will send Healthy Communities of Lincoln County $99,000 in federal funds to reduce substance abuse among youth and strengthen community anti-drug coalitions. Healthy Communities of Lincoln County is the fiscal agent for Rural Alliance Partnership (RAP). This group will implement the following strategies to reduce substance abuse among area youth and strengthen community anti-drug coalitions:

* Promote educational programs for substance abuse prevention to civic programs, chamber meetings, and church groups, using teen participants and volunteer leaders;

* Encourage businesses to participate in a community-wide campaign to reduce illegal tobacco sales to minors;

* Continue Teens Against Tobacco Use program (TATU) at county high schools;

* Continue the Life Skills Training program at county elementary schools;

* Collaborate with the Tobacco Free Missouri Coalition;

* Offer structured social and recreational activities for teens.

Senator Bond is Missouri’s senior Senator and is now in his third term after having served the state previously during two terms as Governor.