Reflecting on 10 Years as Our Drug-Free Communities Grant Comes to a Close

A memory from 10 years ago resurfaced today: the announcement that our community had been awarded the Drug-Free Communities (DFC) grant by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. We were given $125,000 a year to prevent youth substance use in Lindenhurst, and today, as this grant cycle comes to a close, I can’t help but reflect on the journey.
Over the last decade, I’ve worked through multiple presidential administrations, Obama, Trump, Biden, and now Trump again. And what stands out the most is this: no matter who is in power, the dedicated people inside our government and living in our communities continue to do the work that keeps prevention, health, and community well-being moving forward. I have enormous respect for the federal workers who have monitored our progress, and for the local volunteers who have stood side by side with your Lindy Cares Staff and business owners, as well as government officials who have supported the mission through every campaign, meeting, and event. As our federal support falls away we are seeking local government and community support. We are grateful for the opportunities working with federal partners provided us with regard to training and growth.
Most especially, I want to honor our young people. While the adults often serve as the catalysts to put plans into action, as we did most recently at Light Up Lindy, our youth do something just as important. Through their anonymous surveys, essays, conversations, and honesty, they helped us understand the heart of prevention and contributed to creating and cultivating ways to fuel their growth and understanding. The coalition pledges to do this while giving youth the leadership to help shape the mission and directly impact the neighborhood and academic environment for all of us.
And after 10 years, here’s what we learned:
The best drug prevention is connection.
The most effective way to prevent drug misuse is through knowledge.
The best way to avoid the chronic disease of addiction is through real opportunities to learn, grow, and belong within your own community.
The only thing worse than a death is a preventable one.
We cannot stop until we stop waiting for a child to struggle. We work on the environment so that struggle is less likely in the first place.

Upstream prevention is not flashy, quick, or dramatic.
But it is generational.
It is sustainable.
And it is powerful.
There are many ways to support.
Follow, simply like, and share what is going on.
Donate money, time, or knowledge or all three!
Checks to Lindy Cares, PO Box 33, Lindenhurst, NY 11757

A Decade’s Worth of Clarity
After ten years, prevention looks less like a set of programs and more like a community movement, one that grows stronger when people understand how their actions, messages, and environments overlap.
The lesson is simple:
When the entire community works together, we reduce risks, enhance safety, and make healthier choices the natural default.

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Email: Lindycareslcc@gmail.com