Encouraging Healthy Habits

Don't tell my children but...growing up seat belts were not a thing in my world. I remember them being stuffed between the seats, never to be seen again. But now you, I, just about everyone can't imagine starting a car without clicking that seat belt first. I also remember a time when smoking was everywhere -- restaurants, family picnics, workplaces. Now, the non-smokers far outweigh the smokers. How did we switch from no seat belts to seat belts for all? From smoking to non-smoking? It was a combination of many things and one of those things was education programs.

The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board is planning to take on underage drinking and irresponsible drinking by funding programs to promote legal drinking and responsible drinking. They will be awarding grants of up to $20,000 per year and $40,000 for two years to make a program plan a reality. The deadline to apply for this grant funding is Friday, March 20. Applications can be found here. The following organizations can apply for grant money:

• Pennsylvania school districts
• Pennsylvania institutes of higher learning (technical, trade and post-secondary schools)
• Community organizations
• Municipal police departments
• Municipal officials
• Non-profit organizations
• For profit organizations

Need some help navigating the world of grants? Penn State University is sponsoring a Grant Writing Workshop on four Tuesdays (March 10, March 24, April 7 and April 21) from 5 pm to 6:15 pm. To learn more contact Susan Williams at sxw831@psu.edu