Millbur, New Jersey, Jan. 17, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 17, 2023
The Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey (PDFNJ) and the PSEG Foundation are collaborating once again to send a message on the importance of healthy choices to New Jersey students across the state through the annual Third Grade Healthy Life Healthy Decisions Coloring and Activity Book.
With the support of the PSEG Foundation, 35,000 third grade students will receive the activity book, which educates children about the importance of living a healthy life free of substance use. Teachers and school administrators can sign up to receive the activity book here, with the books to be distributed in early 2023.
“Young adults have a hard-enough time navigating through a multitude of social challenges; couple that with the ease of access to substances and you realize just how many compromising and risky situations there are for them,” said Maria Spina, PSEG Foundation Program Manager and a PDFNJ Board member. “The PSEG Foundation is proud to support the Partnership for a Drug Free New Jersey’s Third Grade Healthy Decisions program, which aims to create a learning environment that helps to tackle those challenges — exposing youth to the risks of substance abuse and the alternative life choices that will lead youth to more positive, thriving outcomes.”
By distributing activity books through schools, PDFNJ and the PSEG Foundation recognize the key role educators play in engaging New Jersey’s youth in activities that teach them about the dangers of substance use and misuse. To highlight their role, the activity book contains a contract encouraging students to commit to living a substance-free life, which their parents and a school representative also sign.
“We are grateful to the PSEG Foundation for providing the funding for these activity books that will allow third graders throughout the state to learn valuable prevention messages,” said PDFNJ’s Executive Director Angelo Valente. “Educating our youth to prevent the misuse of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs in communities and schools is an ongoing effort, and the earlier we start the better.”
Recent studies suggest research-based, age-appropriate prevention materials have had a positive impact as alcohol, tobacco and substance use has decreased among American teenagers in grades 8, 10 and 12.
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About the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey
Best known for its statewide anti-drug advertising campaign, the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey is a private not-for-profit coalition of professionals from the communications, corporate and government communities whose collective mission is to reduce demand for illicit drugs in New Jersey through media communication. To date, more than $200 million in broadcast time and print space has been donated to the Partnership’s New Jersey campaign, making it the largest public service advertising campaign in New Jersey’s history. Since its inception, the Partnership has garnered 217 advertising and public relations awards from national, regional and statewide media organizations.
About the PSEG Foundation
The PSEG Foundation (501c3) is the philanthropic arm of Public Service Enterprise Group (NYSE: PEG). The Foundation generally supports and invests in programs in three areas: environmental sustainability, equity and economic empowerment and social justice. The Foundation provides grants to organizations in communities served by PSEG and its subsidiaries.
Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG) (NYSE: PEG) is a predominantly regulated infrastructure company focused on a clean energy future. Guided by its Powering Progress vision, PSEG aims to power a future where people use less energy, and it's cleaner, safer and delivered more reliably than ever. PSEG'scommitment to ESG and sustainability is demonstrated in our net-zero 2030 climate vision and participation in the U.N. Race to Zero, as well as our inclusion on the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index and the list of America's most JUST Companies. PSEG's businesses include Public Service Electric and Gas Co. (PSE&G), PSEG Power and PSEG Long Island. (https://corporate.pseg.com).
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