Congressman Eliot Engel (D-NY-16) announced today that the Yonkers Coalition for Youth has been awarded a $125,000 grant to help young people deal with substance abuse.  The grant is part of the Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Support Program, and was issued by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP).  The Larchmont-Mamaroneck Responsible Action Drug and Alcohol (RADAR) Coalition and the Ardsley SAYF Coalition were also awarded extensions on their grant of $125,000 each.

“I am delighted that RADAR and SAYF received extensions of funding for this vital work.  More so, this is an incredible victory for the citizens of Yonkers who have not received this funding in the past,” said Rep. Engel.

The ONDCP announced $19.8 million in new DFC grants to 147 communities.  These awards are in addition to the $59.4 million in continuation grants simultaneously released to 473 currently funded DFC coalitions.  The program provides grants of up to $625,000 over five years to community coalitions that facilitate citizen participation in local drug prevention efforts.

“This is great news for our region as we continue the work of making our communities safer, and providing strong futures for our children.  The work being done on behalf of our youth, and their families, by these dedicated non-profit professionals is second to none and I look forward to helping them secure additional funds whenever possible,” said Rep. Engel.

The DFC Program was created by the Drug-Free Communities Act of 1997 and reauthorized by Congress in 2001 and 2006.  Since 1998, ONDCP has awarded nearly 2,000 DFC grants to local communities in all 50 states.

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