COMMUNITY STARS: IA and NE neighbors honored for work preventing addiction

Prevention Meets Progress, a coalition of organizations in the Omaha-Council Bluffs area, held its Community Star Awards on Monday. Neighbors committed to the education, prevention, and treatment of substance abuse and addiction were honored at a luncheon.

LEARN MORE: preventionmeansprogress.org

BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:

Neighbors from Iowa and Nebraska were honored on Monday in Council Bluffs for the work they’re doing to prevent addiction. I’m your southwest Iowa neighborhood reporter, Katrina Markel

“All of us know and love someone whose been affected by addiction. All of us know and love someone whose parent is dealing with addiction,” said Maggie Ballard, who works for Prevention Means Progress and Heartland Family Service.

Prevention Means Progress, a coalition of community organizations in the Omaha-Council Bluffs area working to prevent substance abuse and addiction, held its annual awards luncheon on Monday at the Salvation Army in Council Bluffs.

Honorees from across the metro area include neighbors working in addiction treatment and recovery programs, Nebraska State Sen. Jana Hughes, Pottawattamie County Juvenile Probation, and the Missouri Valley School District, which launched a “Handle with Care” Team.

Missouri Valley works with law enforcement to provide a safe environment for students whose family members are in the criminal justice system or who may be experiencing other challenges.

“They’re having childhood trauma, so we’re trying to prevent them from having further trauma with handle with care,” said Lorelle Mueting from Prevention Means Progress and Heartland Family Service.

Those interested in the work of PMP can visit PreventionMeansProgress.org