Back-to-School Summer Bash

The Back-to-School Summer Bash was an in-person event held at Swapka Park on September 4, 2021, from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. The event featured a school supplies giveaway, free food and ice cream, a mini food pantry, a dunk tank, and resource tables. At the event, the Advocate, Collaborate, Treat (ACT) Drug-Free Community Coalition gave away more than 500 backpacks filled with school supplies to the communities of Dearborn Heights and Inkster. Partners for this event included the Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network, Dearborn Heights Police Department, Dearborn Heights Parks and Recreation Department, Molina Healthcare, Eternal Light, and individual contributors.

It affects the ZIP codes the ACT coalition serves. Extreme poverty has led to high levels of substance use, including alcohol among youth. Alcohol dependency may exacerbate already existing mental health issues, such as depression, in a still-developing brain. This leads to withdrawal from one’s community and can permanently alter a person’s life path, meaning it is our job as a Drug-Free Community Coalition to prevent as many youths as possible from consuming alcohol. With enough consistent messaging and youth outreach, our goal is to see a drug- and alcohol-free Inkster and Dearborn Heights.

• Reduce prevalence of underage drinking and other substances in community
• Create an ongoing conversation about underage drinking and substance use prevention in the community
• Foster collaboration between community stakeholders for continued underage drinking and substance use prevention activities
• Awareness and enforcement of social host laws) to support prevention of underage drinking

• Particularly severe or resistant substance use issues in our community
• Inexperience hosting Communities Talk activities

Like all Drug-Free Community coalitions, ACT represents 12 sectors of our community. At every event, our goal is to accurately reflect these sectors and integrate them into event planning. Keeping the interests of each sector in mind simultaneously was a daunting task, but with enough forethought and consideration of each group’s needs, we were able to ensure that the event was enjoyable for everyone, whether a youth, parent, or police officer. Creating an interlocking framework of community members is essential to creating a support network for youth to lean on in difficult times. Knowing this, it was essential to have a robust representation of each sector while planning the summer bash, as strong community connection could be the difference between a child using alcohol and a child developing healthier coping mechanisms when difficult times inevitably arise.

• StopAlcoholAbuse.gov website
• Communities Talk website
• Communities Talk social media content (e.g., Facebook, Twitter)

Youth played a large role in the event, with three youth organizations pitching in to make the event a hit. Students in the Crestwood High School Key Club, Crestwood National Honor Society, and Annapolis High School Key Club lent their time and effort to give back to their community. Furthermore, ACT’s project coordinator, Mara Phillips, partnered with the Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network, Dearborn Heights Police Department, Dearborn Heights Parks and Recreation Department, Molina Healthcare, Eternal Light, and individual contributors in this event. The event’s target audience was both youth and parents, and we effectively reached them through free school supplies and resources for the parents and fun games for the children.

Although COVID-19 is an unfortunate reality in today’s world, we managed to lower the risk of transmission by hosting the event outdoors and encouraging masks. Allowing people to roam Swapka Park ensured social distancing and plenty of fresh air. Luckily, the weather cooperated, and the event was a hit while being safe too.