East Cleveland Bridges of Hope Coalition is one of a few federally funded Urban Drug-Free Community Coalitions in Ohio. And in a effort to protect and preserve funding for the prevention of substance use and misuse, our coalition has continue to build advocacy, time and time again, at the local, state and federal level.
Our Progress
Just entering its’ sixth year of funding, Bridges of HOPE is very proud of its successes in contributing to the reduction of substance abuse among our community’s youth.
- We contributed to a heightened awareness of the dangers of marijuana,tobacco, and alcohol use among 6th through 12th graders, by conducting our Annual “Teen Summit” at Shaw High school. Every year ECBOH focuses on HOPE (Health, Opportunity, Prevention, and Empowerment) Pre- and post-surveys indicated a heightened awareness of the aforementioned dangers of marijuana as a “bridge drug”. Since our existence 1450 teens, 100 vendors, and over 300 volunteers have participated in our summits. We have seen a decrease in teens smoking cigarettes but we continue to see an increase in marijuana usage among teens in East Cleveland.
- Largely as a result of our efforts (acting as liaison and pressure group to state legislators in Columbus, OH and City Council members in East Cleveland, a “Single Sales Cigar\Cigarette” ordinance was passed in East Cleveland City Council on May 27, 2009, resulting in an effort to focus on matters of policies, education, and enforcement. The Alcohol/Tobacco Retail Sales Task Force targets illegal sales of tobacco and alcohol products to youth under age youth, which is currently going on in many retail establishments in East Cleveland. ECBOH ATOD (Alchol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs task force implemented a Youth Compliance check program in November of 2012 with the City of East Cleveland Police department.
- Our “After Schools” Drug Prevention, Education and Healthy lifestyle activities is robust and functioning, with “Reality Tour” partnering with the City of East Cleveland and East Cleveland School district (Shaw High School), the Reality Tour is a dramatic, narrative interactive walk of life of a teen on drugs, which, while fictional has been very impactful on the lives of teens and their parents who have experience it.
- We have partnered with the Drug Enforcement Administration and its national efforts along with the East Cleveland Police Department, and community partners by supporting the Annual DEA National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. We like to thank all of our drop off sites who participate every year; Helen S. Brown, Anthrop Towers, The Owls Nest, Forest Hills Terrance Apartments, New Life Cathedral ,East Cleveland Police Department, and other community partners. Since 2010 ECBOH has been working with the DEA in the City of East Cleveland we started out collecting over 100 pounds of expired prescription drugs.This past April 2014 we collected 30 pounds of expired prescription drugs which has decrease tremendously Prescription drug abuse has vaulted to the top of the list as the number one drug abuse problem among certain segments of our youth population. We also have receive a permanent drug drop box for the East Cleveland Police Department which will arrive sometime between October/November 2014.
- We have been a partner’s and sponsor’s with Lakeside Baptist Church the past (5) five years in support of their Wholeness Leads to Wellness Health Fair which is held every year in July at Lakeside Baptist Church.
- Continue to effectively engage the community in dialogue about the problems as they see them; as such, we have established several action oriented committees.
Needs: Through its Coalition-at Large committee, which meets monthly, the Coalition has identified several crucial needs that would expand and enhance the efforts of the Coalition, and the City of East Cleveland as a whole, among them:
- The Alcohol/Tobacco Retail Sales Task Force
- Reality Tour/Theatre Arts
- Teen Summit/Youth Development
- Media Social Marketing
- Faith Base Initiatives
- Health Development
- Afterschool- and Education
Contact Us
For more information or to Volunteer, please contact:
Greg Bell, Coalition Coordinator gbell@norainc.org
