Tobacco Grants -

Five local programs to show young people the dangers of smoking and use of tobacco have been awarded a total of $13,305 from the Healthy Youth/Seniors Fund of the M & M Area Community Foundation. The fund was established with a portion of the Michigan Tobacco Settlement which is administered by the Council of Michigan Foundations through 66 community foundations throughout the state.

Two of the programs which received grants are on-going. The DAR Boys & Girls Club received $3,500 to help continue its “Smart Moves” program which includes a number of different methods to show young people how to resist tobacco, alcohol, and other drug use. The Public Health Department for Delta & Menominee counties was awarded $2,500 for the M&M “Youth for Truth” program which taps into a national media campaign to encourage counter-tobacco activities at the local level. High school students design radio and television anti-smoking ads and make presentations to students in grades K-12. They explain the dangers of tobacco and encourage youngsters to take a stand against tobacco.

The other three programs are new in the area. Dr. Vernette Carlson has teamed up with Stephenson and Carney-Nadeau public schools to target grades 5-12 with presentations to integrate with grade level lesson plans and curriculum goals in science, health, and biology classes. Goals for the program, which was awarded $2,305, are prevention and cessation of smoking and chewing tobacco use.

The Greater M&M YMCA has initiated a program, “No ‘Butts’ About It” to educate young people about the damaging effects of tobacco use on the spirit, mind, and body. The program, which was awarded $3,000, will be a feature of the Y’s after-school activities.

A new program by Public Health of Delta & Menominee counties will be directed toward pregnant women and mothers of babies and young children in the two counties. It was awarded $2,000 to encourage women in the department’s Women, Infants & Children (WIC) program to quit smoking and learn more about the effects of second-hand smoke on their children.

The goal of the Michigan Tobacco Settlement in establishing healthy youth/senior funds is to attract additional resources from local donors to finance more programs directed to these two specific groups. Those who are especially interested in smoking prevention and cessation are invited to contribute to the M & M Area Community Foundation fund. Such contributions gain a special tax credit from the state of Michigan in addition to the regular charitable tax deduction.