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Dear Friend,
Today, on the birthday of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., we celebrate the life and contributions of an individual who fearlessly put love into action in the name of strengthening our nation’s democracy and advancing civil rights and social justice. We also reflect on 2020, a year of reckoning for our country and one during which we, as an organization, recommitted ourselves to being a force for good in our pursuit of equitable and just public health policies and services for individuals and families affected by addiction.
In the days following news of the senseless deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, I shared a message of pain and resolve on behalf of our organization and everyone in our community. This week, as we reel from a violent assault on democracy and prepare to inaugurate our next president, we yet again deepen our resolve and commitment to serve as a powerful agent of positive change, inspired by the example of Dr. King.
I am proud to be part of an organization committed to putting love into action, particularly in striving to transform how our nation addresses the disease of addiction. We have always known our chosen mission to be a difficult, uphill endeavor, but one we have undertaken without hesitation. Events of recent months have made our work more challenging due to the piercing, yet necessary, reminder that any success in advancing public health solutions for addiction will be incomplete without commensurate progress in addressing racial disparities and ensuring solutions that are equitable, just, and inclusive of everyone.
You can read more about our commitment to racial justice and equity in our work here.
I am also proud to share that we were recently awarded two grants to further our commitment to serving at-risk and under-served populations. Funding from The Upswing Fund for Adolescent Mental Health, newly established by Melinda Gates’ Pivotal Ventures, will enable us to address the pressing needs of parents and caregivers with children who identify as LGBTQ+. And a generous award by the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation will help us reach under-served Spanish-speaking families to provide them with our critical resources.
This news inspires us to work even harder to continue strengthening our programs and resources for at-risk youth and families. It also inspires us to keep moving forward on our commitment to putting love into action in the name of building toward a healthier, more just society.
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