ADAPT recognizes exceptional community members

EAST ORANGE, NJ — The Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Team recently held its annual dinner at Essex County Hospital, thanking 16 members of the community who went above and beyond to help ADAPT accomplish its goals and objectives this past year. ADAPT, managed by FAMILYConnections, is a community coalition dedicated to reducing underaged drinking and drug use and abuse throughout Essex County.

“ADAPT works with local organizations, residents and community partners to achieve its education, awareness and advocacy goals,” FAMILYConnections Executive Director Jacques Hryshko said in a press release. “Our honorees worked within their sphere of influence and throughout the county to support ADAPT initiatives which included but were not limited to public service announcements, sticker shock campaigns and growing the number of prescription drop boxes in Essex County. We look forward to another year of spreading ADAPT’s message of prevention and healthy living to Essex County residents.”

This year’s honorees were Yolanda Mack of the Greater Newark Health Coalition, deacon Frank Ingalls of Galilee Missionary Baptist Church in Newark, Stephanie Andujar of the Greater Newark Healthcare Coalition, pastor Misael Guzman of Calvary Church Center in Newark, East Orange Police Chief Phyllis L. Bindi, East Orange Sgt. Yasmine Johnson, East Orange Police Officer Cory Patterson, West Orange Police Chief James P. Abbott, West Orange Lt. Rich McDonald, Patricia Arnold of Livingston, Laticia Bailey of Trenton, Caldwell University student Janae Bailey, Elizabeth Marques of the Essex County Division of Community Health Services, Denise Cafone of the Fairfield Municipal Alliance Committee, Sandra Carella of the Nutley Municipal Alliance Committee and Caldwell University student Eden Moro.

To learn more about ADAPT, visit www.essexadapt.org or contact Joel Torres, ADAPT’s coalition manager, at jtorres@familyconnectionsnj.org.

  ADAPT, Caldwell University, Calvary Church Center, East Orange Police Department, Family Connections, FEATURED, Galilee Missionary Baptist Church, Greater Newark Health Coalition, West Orange Police Department