The Pella Youth Coalition held a kick-off event for parents and concerned adults in the community Wednesday.
Tricia Van Zee with the Pella Youth Coalition tells KNIA/KRLS News the estimated crowd of approximately 300 people had the chance to hear impactful stories and see data about how drug use is impacting the community, which included presentations from first responders, school officials, concerned parents, and those impacted by substance abuse in their teenage years.
The Pella Youth Coalition is a partnership consisting of parents, the Pella Police Department, students and staff from both Pella Community and Pella Christian Schools, and community resource groups, with the aim of providing resources and hope to young people struggling with drug and alcohol use.
“The key to success in our community is that we have to all come together,” she says. “No single group or organization can tackle this themselves. It requires showing up, it requires us being open minded so we can listen, and it’s going to require us to be a bit more transparent and to share ‘how is this impacting me.'”
Additional information and meetings will be held over the next several months to continue the conversation.