PLCB Awards More than $2 Million in Grants to Local Organizations Working to Prevent Underage and Dangerous Alcohol Use

HARRISBURG, Pa., Sept. 3, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Committed to providing financial support to address underage and irresponsible alcohol consumption, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, PLCB, today announced it has awarded $2.14 million to 61 municipalities, community groups, schools, universities and law enforcement agencies through the Alcohol Education Grant Program.

"This year we increased the maximum grant award to $40,000 and gave organizations an extra year to implement their programs," said Joseph E. Brion, PLCB chairman. "Our goal is to give those involved in the prevention of underage and dangerous drinking the time and financial resources needed to make a significant impact on the health and safety of their communities."

The PLCB grants help fund prevention programs focused on underage and college-age alcohol consumption and support related law-enforcement activities. Since 1999, the agency has awarded more than $10 million in grants to hundreds of colleges, municipalities and community groups.

"We received more than 100 grant requests, so the process was very competitive," said Robert S. Marcus, board member. "Understanding the importance of this funding at a time when budgets are increasingly stretched, we are committed to continuing this grant program in an effort to make positive changes to the communities we serve, and we look forward to seeing the results."

Of the 61 grants awarded:

• Twenty-four will fund community law-enforcement efforts
• Sixteen will go to communities and non-profit organizations for initiatives such as Strengthening Families, a family skills training program; social norms campaigns aimed at dispelling misperceptions about underage alcohol use, such as "everyone does it"; added security for business districts; Project Sticker Shock, which has young people place stickers on beer packaging reminding consumers about the penalties for providing alcohol to minors; and Alcohol True Stories, a multi-media program designed to prevent alcohol use by students in grades 5-12 by positively changing attitudes of youth and parents in regard to youth drinking
• One will fund various programs at a school district committed to educating students from kindergarten through 12th grade
• Twenty college and university grants will help schools develop strategies to reduce underage and dangerous alcohol use, including enforcement efforts; social norms campaigns to change how students think about alcohol and binge drinking; Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students (BASICS), which is a program to help those students who drink heavily make less risky alcohol-use decisions; and college alcohol risk assessments of the campus and surrounding areas to identify alcohol-related issues.

For more information on Alcohol Education or the PLCB, go to www.lcb.state.pa.us.

Media Contact:  Stacy Kriedeman, 717-783-8864

Editor's Note: Click here to see a complete list of the 2013-15 grantees.

SOURCE Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board