On January 31, 2022, Levittown Community Action Coalition (LCAC and Levittown YOUTH (Young Organizers United to Help) attended CADCA’s 2022 National Leadership Forum at the Gaylord National Hotel and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland. Four members of Levittown YOUTH received scholarships to attend this year’s forum. Three of the four students from Division Avenue applied for CADCA’s National Youth Advisory Council (NYAC). All three were selected to participate. NYAC promotes diversity, creates a youth-adult partnership, trains youth to speak on behalf of other youth and CADCA, and grows leadership skills. CADCA aims to increase youths’ knowledge on topics such as substance misuse, equity, and overall health by leading projects, programs, and trainings.
At Forum, LYOUTH attended and participated in a talent show. Sofia Ferreiro (Division Avenue), President of LYOUTH, and Nabiha Kahn (Division Avenue), Vice President LYOUTH, both of who serve on NYAC, were selected to co-host the Youth Talent Show. LYOUTH stole the show. Emilia Salazar (Island Trees HS), Vice President of LYOUTH, led the Capitol Hill Day appointments, highlighting our positive outcomes. Capitol Hill Day also provided Levittown YOUTH with the opportunity to educate policymakers in Congress about the importance of substance use and misuse prevention and the need for continued funding at the highest level. LCAC students were well received, clearly articulated the NYS coalition’s message, and made New York proud! Emily Leicht (Division Avenue), Past President (LYOUTH), and Maya Reetz both received scholarships but were not able to attend the conference this year.
“We are so extremely proud of our youth coalition, who play a significant role in our mission to reduce substance use in our youth,” said Janet Lombardo, LCAC Project Coordinator.
“CADCA Forum has offered me invaluable opportunities to share my passions and cultures. Through this organization I really feel myself as well as Levittown as a whole has the potential to thrive and prosper with the tools we learned!” said Sophia Ferreiro, President, Levittown YOUTH
This year at Forum, LCAC received the Coalition in Focus award from CADCA. The Coalition in Focus award is part of CADCA’s Got Outcomes! award program, which gives national recognition to exemplary coalitions that have clearly documented their impact on population-level substance abuse outcomes. LCAC also received a 2- year credential, Blue Ribbon Coalition.
“We congratulate Levittown Community Action Coalition on their outstanding work and for being exemplary leaders in the field of substance abuse prevention. LCAC clearly embraced the CADCA model of prevention and their commitment has led to positive sustainable outcomes within their community. Our CADCA Got Outcomes! winners exemplify the excellent work that coalitions are doing around the country to prevent and reduce substance use and misuse in their communities,” said General Barrye L. Price, CADCA’s President and CEO.
About CADCA
The mission of CADCA (Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America) is to strengthen the capacity of community coalitions to create and maintain safe, healthy and drug-free communities globally. This is accomplished by providing technical assistance and training, public policy advocacy, media strategies and marketing programs, training and special events.