CONNERSVILLE, Ind. – The Fayette County Drug Coalition is working to support a drug-free community while helping people affected by substance abuse and addiction.

Jennifer Horning, current president of the Fayette County Drug Coalition, said the organization focuses on supporting local efforts and creating opportunities for community members to address substance abuse.

“FCDC main mission is to support, enhance, and strengthen local efforts to create a drug-free community and promote life after substance abuse,” Horning said. “We play a roll in creating a community to brainstorm ideas to make Fayette County a better place to live while addressing issues ones have who are addicted and families of people who are suffering from addiction issues.”

The coalition meets on the first Friday of every month at The Haven, located at 901 Meyer Ave. in Connersville. Meetings begin at 9:30 a.m. and are open to community members.

During the meetings, members discuss old and new business, upcoming community events and ideas for addressing local needs. The coalition also reviews grants awarded to local agencies, including grant reporting, programming updates and other developments in the community.

“FCDC is currently in an active grant cycle so open to agencies and groups who have ideas they would like to implement to help implement substance free events in the community along with programs to help recovery homes, agencies, and those incarcerated and working in work release programs and drug court,” Horning said.

The coalition serves people throughout the community, including those struggling with addiction, people in recovery, families affected by addiction and community members interested in getting involved.

“FCDC consists of many people with lived experience, leaders of community organizations, members of the school corporation, along with anyone wanting to make the world a better place,” Horning said. “All are welcome, and we work with many organizations and agencies in the community. Were better together.”

Horning said prevention remains one of the coalition's biggest challenges, particularly when it comes to preventing young people from trying substances.

“One of the biggest challenges is prevention to keep the younger generation from trying any substances,” Horning said.

She said another challenge is helping people maintain stability after becoming substance-free.

“There is also challenges in helping people as they become substance-free and restoring life to a manageable place where they can be effective, have their needs met, work while taking care of responsibilities, and put families back together while learning new tools to stay drug-free and mentoring others,” Horning said.

Looking ahead, the coalition hopes to continue growing its membership, awarding grants and hosting community events.

“We want to keep growing and continue issuing grants to help the community,” Horning said. “FCDC would like to do more events in the community and grow our group back to what it was before COVID.”

Horning said one misconception about addiction is that it only affects people from lower-income backgrounds.

“I think the biggest misconception about addiction and substance abuse is its for a lower socioeconomic class, and you don't always have to be addicted,” Horning said.

The coalition's future priorities include expanding its membership and bringing more community perspectives to the organization.

“FCDC priorities are to expand and grow in our membership,” Horning said. “We would love to have new members from every facet of the community, including law enforcement, mental health, recovery networks, ministry leadership, business owners and all who are invested in change in the community.”

Horning said the coalition was formed in 1990 and has recently experienced a change in leadership.

“I was told by the former president when she first started attending meetings in 2011 but the coalition was formed in 1990,” Horning said. “We have had a changing of the guard so were excited to see growth and for the coalition to continue making an impact in Fayette County.”