PLCB Awards More than a Million Dollars in Grants to Community Groups to Prevent Underage and Dangerous Alcohol Use

HARRISBURG, Pa., Oct. 6, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --Understanding the importance of supporting local alcohol education efforts, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, PLCB, today announced the recipients of the 2011-2012 Alcohol Education Grant program. In all, seventy-seven organizations throughout the state will receive awards, totaling more than one million dollars.

"As a partner in the effort to prevent underage, binge and problematic drinking, we provide funds to local organizations committed to making a significant difference in their community," said Patrick J. "PJ" Stapleton III, PLCB chairman.  "At a time when public funds are stretched thinner than ever, we know these grant awards will go a long way towards improving the health and safety of communities across the commonwealth."

PLCB grants help fund prevention programs focused on underage and college-age alcohol consumption as well as law-enforcement activities. Since 1999, the PLCB has awarded more than $7 million in competitive grants to hundreds of community groups.

"Alcohol is the most commonly used drug among young people, according to a recent study released by the Centers for Disease Control," said Jerry Waters Sr., director of the Liquor Control Board's Office of Regulatory Affairs. "We know underage drinking has a tremendous impact on youth, families and communities throughout Pennsylvania, and we are committed to providing the resources necessary to help children make better choices.

Of the grants awarded:

• 27 will fund community law-enforcement efforts;
• 19 will be used to support mentoring programs, LifeSkills training and alcohol education campaigns aimed at preventing underage alcohol use;
• 5 will go to local school districts for "Parents Who Host, Lose The Most" campaigns and the PA Youth Survey, which collects information from students in the 6th, 8th, 10th and 12th grades about the behaviors, attitudes and knowledge concerning alcohol, tobacco, other drugs and violence; and
• 26 college and university grants will help schools develop strategies to eliminate 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; training activities; and college alcohol risk assessments of the campus and surrounding areas to identify alcohol-related issues.

The Liquor Control Board grants will also support a range of initiatives that include law-enforcement training, community and teen outreach and other education programs.

Media Contact:  Stacey Witalec or Stacy Kriedeman, 717-783-8864

EDITOR'S NOTE: A list of grant recipients follows:

Allegheny
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Pittsburgh, Inc., $15,000.00
Duquesne University, $12,486.05
Heidelberg Borough, $11,400.71
Point Park University, $7,515.88
Robert Morris University, $15,000.00

Bedford
Personal Solutions, Inc. (on behalf of Bedford County Drug & Alcohol Prevention Partnership), $15,000.00

Berks
Community Prevention Partnership of Berks County, $14,999.72
Kutztown Borough, $14,984.72
Oley Township, $12,911.60
Wyomissing Borough, $11,840.50

Blair
Altoona City, $12,928.00

Bucks
justCommunity, Inc., $14,999.49
New Britain Borough, $14,388.00

Butler
Slippery Rock University, $14,988.65

Cambria
Cambria County Child Development Corporation, $14,999.93
Saint Francis University, $12,858.48

Centre
Pennsylvania State University at University Park, $15,000.00
State College Borough, $15,000.00

Chester
Immaculata University, $14,983.88
West Chester Borough, $15,000.00

Columbia
Locust Township, $12,683.98

Dauphin
Derry Township, $11,926.67
Lower Dauphin Communities That Care, Inc., $4,349.92

Delaware
Cabrini College, $15,000.00
Chester Community Charter School, $15,000.00
Crozer Chester Medical Center, $14,989.00
Haverford Township, $14,905.10
Holcomb Associates, Inc. (on behalf of Holcomb Behavioral Health Systems), $12,703.85
Pennsylvania State University at Brandywine, $15,000.00
Ridley School District, $15,000.00

Erie
Edinboro Borough, $14,999.73
Erie City, $7,500.00
Gannon University, $14,883.00
Mercyhurst College, $14,999.58

Fayette
Fayette County Drug & Alcohol Commission, Inc., $14,351.40

Franklin
Healthy Communities Partnership of Greater Franklin County, Inc., $13,659.28

Greene
Greene County Human Services, $3,828.20

Huntingdon
Juniata College, $14,690.00
Southern Huntingdon County School District, $14,985.03

Indiana
Armstrong Indiana Drug and Alcohol Commission (on behalf of Clarion Drug and Alcohol Services), $15,000.00
Indiana Borough, $15,000.00

Lackawanna
Keystone College, $14,996.40
Lackawanna College, $15,000.00
Scranton School District, $14,999.70

Lancaster
Elizabethtown College, $2,664.95
Millersville Borough, $15,000.00

Lehigh
KidsPeace Corporation, $15,000.00

Luzerne
Freeland Borough, $14,999.99
Hazleton City, $15,000.00
Kings College, $14,945.00
Pennsylvania State University at Hazleton, $6,478.50
Pennsylvania State University at Wilkes-Barre, $7,650.00

Lycoming
Pennsylvania College of Technology, $15,000.00
Valley Prevention Services, Inc., $14,999.02

Monroe
East Stroudsburg University of PA, $15,000.00
Stroud Area Regional Police, $14,628.16

Montgomery
Gwynedd Mercy College, $14,229.67
North Wales Borough, $14,889.96
Plymouth Township, $15,000.00
Rosemont College, $15,000.00
Whitemarsh Township, $15,000.00

Northampton
Bethlehem City, $15,000.00
Lehigh Township, $15,000.00

Northumberland
Mount Carmel Township, $14,997.00

Philadelphia
Shalom, Inc., $13,685.74

Schuylkill
Pottsville Area School District, $14,007.00
Schuylkill Haven Borough, $14,919.42
Schuylkill Intermediate Unit 29, $11,250.00

Tioga
Tioga County Partnership for Community Health, $15,000.00

Union
Bucknell University, $15,000.00
Lewisburg Borough, $14,936.68

Washington
California University of PA, $14,994.00
Washington City, $14,800.00

Westmoreland
Pennsylvania State University at New Kensington, $3,307.50
Saint Vincent College, $10,704.44
Westmoreland Human Opportunities, Inc. (on behalf of Westmoreland Community Action), $15,000.00

York
YWCA York, $13,666.97

SOURCE Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board