The Office of National Drug Control Policy has awarded just over two-point-two million dollars in grants to 24 Iowa communities for drug prevention programs. State Drug Czar Gary Kendall says the grants are awarded annually. Kendall says the program provides money to local coalitions to mobilize the community to prevent youth alcohol, inhalant and drug abuse, and serve as seed money.

Kendall says the grants help the communities leverage more funds. He says this program is unique, because the money goes directly to local programs — and the place where it can do the most good. He says even the state programs end up passing money down to the local level as everyone recognizes changes need to begin at the local level, and the community buy in gives you a better chance for success.

Kendall says it’s also important to start with young people in preventing problems with abuse. Kendall says it just makes sense that if you can keep people from starting substance abuse in the first place, then you are better off overall. The grant program was started by Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley under the Drug Free Communities Act in 1997. Kendall says the rest of Iowa’s congressional delegation have been supportive of the program too.

Here’s a list of those receiving grants: Algona – Kossuth Connections ($72,107); Ames – Iowa State University Worth Co. Ext. ($100,000); Boone – Boone County Asset Team ($100,000); Cedar Rapids – St. Luke’s Health Care Foundation ($100,000); Charles City – FOCUS ($74,390); Council Bluffs – Loess Hills Area Education Agency ($100,000); Decorah -Helping Services for Northeast Iowa ($100,000); Epworth – Dubuque Safe Youth Coalition ($99,08);Garner – Garner Asset Project Coalition ($55,000); Iowa City – Mid-Eastern Council on Chemical Abuse ($100,000); Iowa City – Washington County ($100,000); Keosauqua – Van Buren County Safe Coalition ($100,000); Marshalltown -Marshall County Youth and Violence Committee ($100,000;Marshalltown -SATUCI Youth Partners ($100,000);Mason City – Mason City Youth Task Force ($100,000); Mt. Pleasant – Henry Healthy County Communities ($100,000); Newton – JPT Decatergorization Project ($100,000); Reinbeck – Project Radical ($58,000); Sioux City – Siouxland CARES About Substance Abuse ($75,000); Spencer – Positively Spencer Youth ($100,000) Waterloo -Pathways Behavioral Services ($75,109); Webster City – Hamilton County Power UP YOUth Coalition ($100,000); West Burlington – Grade A Plus ($100,000).