Statesboro, GA (September 23, 2009) – In August, the Drug Free Communities Program (DFCP) moved into their new office location at 22 North College Street in Statesboro. That building is owned by CORE Credit Union, and is being provided rent-free to DFCP for one year, with the option to extend the partnership in the future.

The Drug Free Communities Program is a collaboration between the Bulloch County Commission on Human Services (BCCHS) and the Bulloch County Board of Education, and falls under the umbrella of the BCCHS.

The vision of the DFCP is to see that all Bulloch County youth are alcohol and drug free. A number of strategies will be employed in working towards this goal, such as increasing public awareness and strengthening collaboration among communities and other groups, both public and private, to prevent and reduce substance abuse among youth.

Having a highly visible location is an important part of a community service organization. The DFCP is grant funded, but the grant stipulates that rental expenses cannot be paid with grant funds. With the need of a visible location within the community being limited by a lack of funds, the DFCP had an obvious need. CORE Credit Union had a facility, so a partnership was formed.

In addition to serving as the headquarters for the DFCP, this high traffic location may also serve as a working location for various other sponsored programs under the BCCHS umbrella, providing work areas for up to four employees and greater visibility for those programs. 

When asked about this partnership, Catherine Hendrix, Director of Bulloch County Commission on Human Services, said, “Our gratitude towards CORE Credit Union is immense. The Drug Free Communities program is essential towards reaching a greater goal of keeping adolescents and the Bulloch County community safe from drugs and alcohol, and we are honored to receive a physical location to watch our plans progress."
  
CORE Credit Union President, Bobby Michael stated, “This is really a win-win for our community. It helps important, family-based programs in our community stretch their donation dollars further and make an even larger, local impact. This partnership goes along with the Credit Union’s mission of empowering individuals to make good financial choices; it is just another example of how CORE demonstrates putting people before profit.”  

Bulloch County Commission for Human Services (BCCHS) is a private not-for-profit corporation endorsed by the Bulloch County Commissioners in 1997. Operating as a collaborative, BCCHS serves as an umbrella structure for federal, state and local efforts focusing on improving the conditions of children and families in Bulloch County. The 13 member Board of Directors meet monthly to access community needs, determine desired results, set priorities to achieve results, identify and allocate resources and hold themselves accountable for the well being of children and families in Bulloch County.