Press Release

Helpline Youth Counseling, Inc.

14181 Telegraph Rd., Whittier, CA 90604

www.hycinc.org (562) 926-5566 x24689

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For more information, contact:

Steve Moua, smoua@hycinc.org;

Joel Reynoza, jreynoza@hycinc.org;

Maurina Cintron, mcintron@hycinc.org

Taking a stand against underage drinking

Norwalk, California, January 5th, 2016- Preventing underage drinking is everyone’s responsibility. YOU CAN make youth alcohol access a distant memory.

Helpline Youth Counseling was (HYC) founded in 1967 by a group of parents concerned about rising levels of juvenile delinquency, drug and alcohol use, gang affiliation, violence and child abuse. In 1971 it became incorporated with a primary purpose of providing counseling and assistance to at-risk, low income children, youth and their families. Since its inception, HYC has been eliminating barriers and creating opportunities for its clients. In the last year, HYC provided comprehensive educational, case management, counseling, skill-building and treatment services to 12,525 children, youth and adults throughout Greater Los Angeles and surrounding counties with a targeted focus on the Southeast Los Angeles communities of Artesia, Bellflower, Cerritos, Downey, Hawaiian Gardens, Lakewood, La Mirada, Long Beach, Norwalk, Paramount, Pico Rivera, Santa Fe Springs, Signal Hill and Whittier, including Unincorporated portions of Whittier. In addition to these services, HYC has focused its efforts in the area of substance abuse prevention, in partnership with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Substance Abuse Prevention and Control. HYC’s Substance Abuse Prevention Team has been working in the Norwalk community for the past four years and has been implementing the 8-Step Retail Framework for the last two years.

Norwalk City United (NCU) started with a few students and the Principle of a local charter school called Youth Build Charter School of California. Helpline’s Prevention Team went to the school and presented on the impact of alcohol on youth and how it has affected their neighborhood. Concerned and motivated, the students joined the Prevention Team to bring awareness to this issue by volunteering their time to speak with local retailers. This group of students that were very passionate about this cause met with the prevention team every three months to discuss the strategies that the Prevention Team was already facilitating in Norwalk. After approximately one year of meeting and volunteering, the students named themselves Norwalk City United and officially committed themselves to fight against youth access of alcohol in the hopes of making their community healthier.

HYC’s Prevention Team, Norwalk City United Coalition (NCU) members and local retailers have partnered to bring attention to the issue of underage drinking in Norwalk, California. With the support of Norwalk’s Chamber of Commerce and the Department of Public Safety, the goal is to reduce access of alcohol to youth by creating a relationship between the community of Norwalk and local liquor stores. The partnership will strengthen the community through prevention efforts that focus on merchants who commit to not being an access point for our youth to buy or steal alcohol.

NCU and HYC Prevention Team’s fight against easy access of alcohol for underage youth has been slowly but surely making changes to the norms of the community’s awareness of youth drinking alcohol. The coalition youth members volunteer their time to talk to retailers about the 8-Step Retail Framework. The 8-Step Retail Framework is a program that aims to create a healthier retail outlet. One of the final steps is called Merchant Committed. The Merchant Committed Program is a pledge from the retailers to the community that they will do all they can to prevent youth from accessing alcohol through their stores. Thanks to the efforts of The City of Norwalk’s Department of Public Safety, Norwalk Chamber of Commerce, HYC’s Prevention Team, and Norwalk City United, four local retailers already have made the pledge: Shell located on Alondra Blvd. and the 605, 7-Eleven located on Alondra Blvd. and Studebaker Rd., 7-Eleven located on Pioneer Blvd and Excelsior Dr., and Northgate Market located on Firestone Blvd. and Pioneer Blvd.

Next time you walk into your local alcohol retail store, look to see if that retailer has signed the pledge. You can ask them to become “Merchant Committed.” You can get involved and ask your local retail store to be the first line of defense and prevent the access of alcohol for underage drinking by not making it easily accessible through their store. You can also join the fight to prevent underage drinking, because YOUR VOICE MATTERS.

For more press released topics, including our partnering agency, visit: http://patch.com/users/maurina-cintronacf890b801f936fca8bc27af439979d97d...

Boilerpoints:

ü The issue is underage drinking

ü The need is for retailers and the community to take an active role in reducing underage alcohol access.

ü The resolve is to create a healthier community by preventing underage drinking.

ü You can join the fight against underage drinking!

ü Your voice matters!