Hannaford Foundation donates $10,000 to support drug and alcohol prevention program

For Immediate Release   
Oct. 17, 2013

 

 

RUTLAND, Vermont – The Hannaford Charitable Foundation today announced a $10,000 donation to support the Smart Directions drug and alcohol prevention program at the Boys & Girls Club of Rutland County.

 

The donation will allow the Boys & Girls Club of Rutland County to expand the Smart Directions initiative and teach more local youth about the dangers of opiate and heroin use. The program is expected to reach more than 100 local children, ages 6 to 14, during the 2016-17 school year.

 

“Hannaford is committed to encouraging health and wellness in the communities we serve. The Smart Directions program provides local children with the preventative education, resources and awareness they need to combat drug use in Rutland County,” said Hannaford Supermarkets Regional Community Relations Specialist Brian Fabre. “Hannaford commends the Boys & Girls Club of Rutland County for its dedication to helping our local youth maintain a healthy lifestyle.”

 

The grant from Hannaford is the second in as many years for the Boys & Girls Club of Rutland County. In 2015, the Hannaford Charitable Foundation donated $10,000 to support the Smart Directions drug and alcohol prevention program.

 

“Rutland has gained regional and national notoriety about the opiate and heroin problem. Project Vision is our response to the problem. This grant from Hannaford allows us to expand the prevention piece that is run through the Boys & Girls Club of Rutland County. The community is very grateful to Hannaford,” said Boys & Girls Club of Rutland County CEO Larry Bayle.

 

The Smart Directions drug and alcohol prevention program is designed to teach youth about the dangers of opiate and heroin use through role play, the practice of resistance, decision-making and refusal skills, and the analysis of media and peer influence. For the younger members the course focuses on self-esteem and peer pressure.

 

The program is part of the Project VISION program, a coalition of local government, organizations, businesses and individuals working to build a brighter future for Rutland through a three-pronged strategy approach of prevention, treatment and enforcement.

For more information about the Boys & Girls Club of Rutland County, visit www.rutlandbgclub.org.

About Hannaford Supermarkets
Hannaford Supermarkets, based in Scarborough, Maine, operates 179 stores in the Northeast. Stores are located in Maine, New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. Hannaford employs more than 27,000 associates. Additional information can be found at www.hannaford.com.