Milwaukee County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition

Light & Unite Red Spotlights Upcoming Events and Programs as Milwaukee County Seeks to Address Substance Abuse and Overdose Rates Due to COVID-19

Join us March 22-28, 2021, for Light & Unite Red Week to promote healthy, drug- and alcohol-free living and support our community members who are improving their lives by remaining free of substance use and achieving holistic wellness.

In light of the toll the COVID-19 pandemic has taken on the mental health of Milwaukee County residents, Light & Unite Red’s mission is more important than ever. Light & Unite Red promotes community-wide prevention education and is led by the Milwaukee County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition (MCSAP). Community organizations, surrounding health departments, high schools, libraries and government entities work together to shine a light on the dangers of substance use and to unite the Milwaukee community to engage in prevention, encourage treatment and support recovery throughout the year.

Coinciding with National Drug & Alcohol Facts Week, from March 22 - 28, Light & Unite Red will host various virtual events and spotlight resources available to those in need.

All community members are welcome to participate in virtual events happening during Light & Unite Red week, March 22 - 28. A few of these events include:

Teen Professional Skills Summit and Job Fair; March 24 and 25 beginning at 4 p.m.

27th Street West Drug Free Coalition will be hosting a virtual professional skills summit and job fair for teens. This event furthers the coalition’s mission to create alcohol and drug-free communities by encouraging youth to explore more meaningful and productive ways to spend their summer and by preparing them for the professional world through career development workshops. On March 24, attendees will learn how to dress professionally without sacrificing style and personality and hear from Sisters in the Brotherhood talk about union work and drugs on the job. On March 25th, teens will learn how to write a resume for first-time applicants and take part in on-the-spot job interviews.
Register to attend on March 24 here and on March 25 here.

Free Online Narcan Training; March 25 at 4 p.m.

Vivent Health is offering a free online Narcan training for individuals who work or reside in Milwaukee County. This course provides information about the opioid epidemic and how to recognize and respond to an opioid overdose. It includes practical, step-by-step guidance for performing rescue breathing and administering Narcan (naloxone). All participants will receive a supply of Narcan Nasal Spray and a certificate of training. Sign up at this link.

MCSAP Virtual Escape Room and Mocktail Tutorial; March 26 at 6 p.m.

MCSAP will host a virtual escape room experience for adults to find “Sneaky Stashers” along with a mocktail segment hosted by Erik Kennedy and Sarah Hofman, who have been featured on OnMilwaukee.com. The first five people to sign up will receive the supplies for the mocktail. This event will be held on March 26th at 6 p.m. Sign up at this link.

Hidden in Plain Sight Zoom Event; March 27 at 10 a.m.

The House of Kings and Priests, Inc. is hosting a virtual event for parents and guardians. They will have the opportunity to go through a mock bedroom to be educated on where their youth might hide alcohol and drugs. Additionally, they will have an opportunity to ask a panel questions about what they saw in the room.
To join the Zoom event, please visit bit.ly/hokpHIDD. To learn more, use this link.

Light & Unite Red Grab n’ Go; March 27 at 11 a.m.

The House of Kings and Priests, Inc. will host a Grab n’ Go event on Saturday March 27 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Grace Fellowship Church parking lot (3879 N. Port Washington Rd). Free grab bags are available while supplies last and include PPE supplies, personal journals, and more. One bag will be provided per person.

In observance of Light & Unite Red, numerous businesses and organizations have committed to lighting statues and buildings red in order to shine a spotlight on the importance of substance use awareness education among our youth and in our community.

Additionally, community members are encouraged to wear red on Wednesday, March 24, to show their support of these awareness initiatives. Visit Light & Unite Red’s Facebook page and post a selfie on social media and use #LightUniteRed, #MKEPrevention, and #414GoesRed.

Those interested in learning more can visit lightunitered.org for mental health wellness, suicide prevention and substance abuse resources. This user-friendly website features interactive tools such as the National Drug & Alcohol IQ Challenge.

Drug Facts - Learn the Real Deal

Do you know the facts about drugs and alcohol? 

Prescription Drug/Heroin Fact Sheet

Marijuana Fact Sheet 

Synthetic Drugs Fact Sheet 

Alcohol Fact Sheet 

Tobacco/E-Cigs Fact Sheet 

Test Your Knowledge

TAKE A BRIEF DRUG FACTS SURVEY to determine if you know the real deal about the drugs impacting our community. Click here to take the National Drug and Alcohol IQ Challenge.