AWARE Drug & Alcohol Community Coalition

By Synchronicity

The AWARE Drug and Alcohol Community Coalition in Northport is all about “Working Together for a Healthier, Stronger Community.” The mission is “to promote the well-being of our youth by preventing substance misuse, supporting mental wellbeing, and empowering community members through education, stigma reduction, and expanded outreach to create a healthier tomorrow.”

It’s just one of roughly 25 hyper local coalitions across Long Island that exist to help communities grapple with the challenges surrounding drugs and alcohol. These are grass roots organizations of neighbors serving as key connectors with diverse expertise and resources, and acting as fundamental forces for education and prevention in their own right.

This last bit is huge. “We’re all about prevention,” says Executive Director Linda Oristano, “Prevention starts long before a crisis. It starts with awareness, connection and action.”

A Brief History

AWARE (Advocacy, Wellness, Action, Resiliency and Education) started back in 2006 as the Northport-East Northport Drug and Alcohol Task Force, when a handful of concerned neighbors came together after two high school students overdosed. A few years ago, they spun off to form their own 501(c)3 so they could better address specific needs and opportunities in Northport.

They are welcoming, pragmatic, and deeply engaged in helping people navigate harsh realities of life. There’s a big focus on young people, and staying out of trouble in the first place.

There's a Great Interview...

There’s a thoughtful interview on the Main Street News with Executive Director Linda Oristano. It includes her observations on the current scene, stuff you don’t always hear regarding Narcan, and details of many projects they do with business owners, school administrators, students, local youth agencies, other human service groups, police and other first responders, and the community as a whole.

It’s a good listen. In addition to fentanyl and ways folks have somehow made that more terrifying, Linda expressed deep concerns with the range and appeal of vaping products being sold, especially to young people, as well as some of their efforts to do something about it.

She’s proud of their youth coalition of students grades 9-12, who meet weekly to focus on three initiatives: substance misuse, mental health and environmental issues. There’s a RAP week (Recovery Awareness and Prevention), and participation in community events.

They talk about the challenges of reaching kids who really need to be reached, the complicating factors of mental health, and parents who are so pressed for time and attention in a world where it’s harder and harder to catch things before they get out of hand. She is grateful for hyper local organizations like AWARE that she truly believes are helping.

We're All In This Together

Linda wants people to know that they aren’t coming down from some high horse but are real neighbors, with real experiences and hope to share. It’s not about scaring or shaming people. It’s about community support and guidance. She hopes folks who have been so blessed as to never experience these challenges will have compassion for those who do, and get involved.

Mostly, she wants anyone struggling themselves or concerned about someone they love to know:

You are not alone. There are answers. Folks are here to help. Please reach out.

Get Involved

Monetary donations, time, connections – all are very welcome! The best way to get involved at first is to simply tune in and show up.

Start by following them on Facebook and Instagram @awarelongisland to keep up to date with all they’ve got going on and to receive some really useful tips and resources. You may also visit their website at www.awareli.org. Open to the public meetings occur every 3rd Wednesday of the month at their beautiful new headquarters at 53 Scudder Ave, Northport.

On August 20th, at 7:45 is a family movie night in Northport Harbor Park.

On August 21st they’re having a fundraiser at the gorgeous Main Street, Northport shop, The Nest, selling donated vintage handbags and jewelry. They may still be accepting donations of gently used accessories!

As this is Recovery Awareness Month, on August 31st they’re holding a press conference and Recovery flag raising at 12 noon and then a candlelight vigil to honor those lost in the Village Park at 7pm.

Their Annual Color Run is November 7th at Northport Middle School. It’s a lot of fun!

In addition to everything else she does in service to the community, Linda is an active member of the Northport Chamber of Commerce. No matter what’s going on in town, you’re likely to find AWARE there. Just go say hi!

If you remember, tell ’em Synchronicity sent ya. Thanks!

Learn more about Synchronicity at https://synchronicitypc.com/