Mobilizing the Community for Positive Change

The Lawrence County Coalition is a volunteer-driven 501(c)3 non-profit organization whose mission is, “mobilizing the community to encourage positive, healthy, and substance free youth.” Dedicated to the improvement of our community and to providing healthy opportunities for our youth, Coalition members work hard on a number of initiatives that reduce and prevent underage drinking, tobacco use, and other drug use. The Coalition also works to build protective factors through Developmental Assets® and youth leadership opportunities.

With grant funding through the Drug Free Communities Grant (DFC) under the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the SD State Tobacco Control Program, and local foundation and corporate grants, the Coalition operates to provide education, skill enhancement, policy modification and development, physical design change, reduction of barriers to prevention efforts, and changing consequences.

The Coalition functions through the Strategic Prevention Framework, which includes assessment, capacity building, planning, implementation, evaluation and sustainability. Through these seven strategies, the Coalition can address individual change as well as community level change. In its first year as a Drug Free Communities grantee, the Coalition will build capacity and strengthen collaborations with community partners, like parents, youth, businesses and civic organizations. 

Current Initiatives

• Developing community assessments and identifying community needs
• Sponsoring youth opportunities such as the Youth Leadership Conference and Red Ribbon Week Activities
• Working with youth sports associations and clubs to develop substance-free policies 
• Providing substance use/abuse education through community presentations and trainings
• Promoting the Positive Community Norms campaign – an effort that focuses on changing community misperceptions that all kids drink, smoke, or are in trouble, to correct perceptions that most kids do not engage in risky behaviors

Lawrence County Coalition Youth Chapter

The Youth Chapter consists of students in grades 6-12. Through the LCC Youth Chapter, the Coalition can give voice to local youth, teach leadership skills, and overall educate, inspire, and mentor youth in a positive manner. For Youth Chapter inquiries, please contact Youth Advisor Sara DeBeaumont at sara.debeaumont@k12.sd.us.

How to Get Involved

The general coalition meets every third Tuesday of the month at noon. All meetings are open to the public and are a great way to learn more about the Coalition and how you can play a part. These meetings provide a platform for the Coalition to discuss ways to provide safe, drug free activities for youth, community education presentations, youth leadership events, and more. The Coalition also holds a five member Board of Directors and is always looking for new members.

The ultimate goal is to provide a safe, healthy community for our children to grow, learn and lead in the future. These efforts cannot be done alone. It takes many people in the community working together to succeed. The coalition strives to include active representation from parents, media, businesses, law enforcement, schools, youth serving organizations, civic/volunteer organizations, health care professionals, state and local government agencies, religious organizations, those involved in reducing substance abuse and most importantly, youth.

For more information about the Lawrence Community Coalition, please contact Melissa Currier, Executive Director, at 605-717-1417 or via email at lccoalitiondirector@gmail.com.