Dubois County CARES welcomes Candy Neal as its DFC (Drug-Free Communities) grant coalition manager.
The mission of Dubois County CARES (Coalition for Adolescent Resiliency and Empowerment Strategies) is to empower youth to be alcohol and drug-free.
Candy is a native of St. Louis and has lived in Jasper for the last 24 years. She has spent that entire time at the Dubois County Herald as a reporter, covering various parts of the county. Prior to coming to Indiana, Candy worked at newspapers in St. Louis. She has a bachelor’s degree in Communications/Journalism from St. Louis University. Candy is a member of Redemption Christian Church and is a discussion leader for a Bible Study Fellowship group that meets weekly at Shiloh Church. She also organized an annual Valentine dinner for widows and widowers in Dubois County prior to the COVID pandemic. She likes to listen to music, read, scrapbook and make cards, hang out with friends, and visit her family in St. Louis, especially her mother, Josephine Neal.
Dubois County CARES works toward its mission of empowering youth to be alcohol and drug-free by:
* Educating the community on the detriments of youth substance use
* Educating adults on the detriments of providing alcohol to youth
* Providing skills building and encouragement for parents and guardians to talk with youth about substance use
* Collaborating with and supporting partner agencies
* Working with local lawmakers to create and sustain a community that does not tolerate underage drinking and drug use.
Dubois County CARES received a Drug-Free Communities grant from SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) in 2017, guaranteeing the organization $125,000 annually for five years, with a possible renewal for an additional five years. TRI-CAP is the fiscal agent for Dubois County CARES.
For more information about Dubois County CARES, visit www.DuboisCountyCARES.org. Contact the coalition at DuboisCountyCARES@gmail.com or 812-827-8464. For information about Tri-Cap, visit www.tri-cap.net.
