For more information, please contact:
Erica Chavez, Prevention Program Manager
Office: (480) 257-7561
11 Young Ladies to Celebrate Alcohol Free
What: No Alcohol Sweet 16 Event
When: Saturday, Sept. 20, 6 p.m.-12 a.m.
Where: Sheraton Crescent Hotel, 2620 W. Dunlap Avenue, Phoenix
PHOENIX, Ariz. — September 10, 2014 — The Isaac Anti-Drug Community Coalition (IADCC) will host the 4th Annual No Alcohol Sweet 16 event on Saturday, Sept. 20, from 6 p.m. to midnight at the Sheraton Crescent Hotel. The event will feature 11 young ladies and their families who have made the decision not to have alcohol play a part in their Sweet 16 celebrations.
This project allows young ladies, 15-16 years of age, to be positively mentored towards womanhood and teaches them how to help improve their communities through service. The young ladies are required to attend workshops, participate in community service projects, and attend classes that focus on the consequences of underage drinking, self esteem, public speaking, and leadership. At the end of the program, their hard work is rewarded with a formal, Quinceañera-style dinner dance.
According to 2013 statistics provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 63.4% of African-American teens and 72.4% of Hispanic teens confirmed that they had at least one drink. Of those who reported currently using alcohol, 29.6% were African-American and 37.5% were Hispanic. When asked if they had ever consumed five or more alcoholic beverages in a row, 12.4 of African-American teens said yes as 22.6% of Hispanic teens.
IADCC is proud to host the No Alcohol Sweet 16 event for a fourth year. IADCC’s goal is to change the mindset that alcohol is needed to have a good time at events. The No Alcohol Sweet 16 event has a huge impact on the participants, their families and the overall community. Many local business serve as event sponsors to demonstrate their support of this movement and the participants.
# # #
The Isaac Anti-Drug Community Coalition serves the Isaac community, an urban area with a population of approximately 68,000 located in Phoenix. The goals of the Coalition are to: (1) establish and strengthen collaboration among the Isaac Anti-Drug Community Coalition’s partner organizations in support of the community’s effort to prevent and reduce substance use among youth; and (2) reduce substance use among youth in the Isaac community and, over time, reduce substance abuse among adults by addressing the community issues that increase the risk of substance abuse, and promoting the factors that minimize the risk of substance abuse. The Coalition is made up of numerous community individuals and organizations, including Touchstone Behavioral Health.
Touchstone Behavioral Health partners with youth and their families to provide evidence-based services and support to help them acquire the skills to live productive and responsible lives. A member of the Southwest Network, Touchstone serves approximately 2,800 children annually from its four locations: the Timothy Dunst Treatment Center and Ginsberg Clinic, both in Phoenix; the Mesa Clinic; and the Prevention and Intervention Services facility in Glendale. Touchstone also provides services in Tucson and Mohave County. For more about Touchstone’s programs and services, visit touchstonebh.org.
