Newsletter June 2018

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United Way of Greater Kingsport GIVE. ADVOCATE. VOLUNTEER.

June 2018 Newsletter www.uwaykpt.org

UPCOMING EVENTS

Something about graduation brings out the best in us... a celebration of life, accomplishment and family. I've attended two high school graduations recently and notice familiar sights: the building full of SO many students-all the same age, and all with bright futures ahead of them; the cheering of families in the stands; and my personal favorite--the tossing of caps into the air.

But even with the positive future represented by those caps and tassels, I can't help to also think about the problems that are facing our community.

Problems represented, perhaps, by the students and families not in attendance at graduation? What will happen to them?

At United Way of Greater Kingsport, we spend a lot of time looking at statistics and root cause issues. And any close look at the Greater Kingsport community's most pressing social needs surfaces the widespread misuse and addiction to prescription drugs and heroin. Here are just a few statistics: Addiction to pain medication (opioids) is real and can be fatal.

Addiction is not a moral failure, it is a disease that needs to be treated.

Our region's rate for the number of babies born dependent on drugs (Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome, or NAS) is one of the highest rates in the nation.

Increase your own awareness. No person or family is immune to addiction. Watch our video, Know the Truth about Drug Addiction.

In the book Dreamland: The True Tale of America's Opiate Epidemic , author Sam Quinones concludes, "I believe more strongly than ever that the antidote to heroin is community." Join us as United, We Fight against drug abuse in our community. Together, we can embrace our youth with a positive vision of their future-graduation caps thrown high in the air.

2018 Week of Caring June 18-22nd United Way will be kicking off Week of Caring on June 18th at the Bank of Tennessee Operation Center. Keep on the lookout for over 1,000 volunteers in bright orange shirts helping over 30 non-profits in our community from June 18-22nd!

Thank you to our great company partners.

United WE READ: Read to Lead Summer Camp AND 6th Ann. Summer Book Club United WE READ is hosting its 2nd annual Read to Lead Summer Camp in collaboration with Boys & Girls Club of Greater Kingsport, Bloomingdale Baptist Church, Colonial Heights United Methodist Church, and many other local business partners! 60 campers at 3 site locations will participate in the month-long program that builds a love for reading and literacy skills.

Simultaneously, over 600 students in Greater Kingsport summer programs will participate in the 6th annual Summer Book Club!

Follow United WE READ on Twitter and Facebook for updates, or contact read@uwaykpt.org for more information.

To live better, we must Live United!

Tennessee REDLINE

Danelle Glasscock Executive Director

The Tennessee REDLINE

(1-800-889-9789) is a 24/7 toll-free information and referral line.

The purpose of the REDLINE is to provide accurate, up-to-date alcohol, drug, problem gambling, and other addiction information and referrals to all citizens of Tennessee at their request.

What can you do?

LEARN about drugs and their effects.

United We Fight Against Opioid and Drug Addiction (submitted from Holy Friendship Collaborative)

SAFEGUARD our community by investing in young lives and people.

SHOW COMPASSION, not judgement, to those with family members impacted by this terrible epidemic. Ask, "What happened to you?" Listen to their stories.

WE COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT YOU! Thank you for making the Holy Friendship Summit a tremendous Christcentered experience of listening, learning and fellowship. We heard powerful testimonials and thought-provoking presentations that deeply explored the intersection between faith and medicine. Congregations and health care professionals were challenged to partner more faithfully to become genuine Holy Friends to those who are suffering the ravages of addiction. In the process, we were not just informed but transformed by our experience together. Impressing us profoundly, ninety-eight participants signed cards expressing an interest in getting their congregations involved in postconference projects to support prevention, treatment and recovery programs.

We were moved by the testimony of Jason Greer, who has struggled with addiction and spent half of his life incarcerated. After being released

Support United Way of Greater Kingsport today or Text "UWAYKPT" to 91999 to join the fight for the health, education, and financial stability of every person in our community!

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recently, he is working to turn his life around and reconnect with his children and grandchildren. We heard Logan Horne tell how her community surrounded her with support and loved her into recovery. Now she is a professional social worker working with addicted mothers. Her success story offers her clients an alternative vision for the future and hope for their own difficult journey through treatment and recovery. We also heard an amazing testimony from Zac Holt, a triathlete and seminarian who became addicted to prescription opioids following a climbing accident.

We learned that addiction is not something that happens to "those people," but happens to people just like us with dreams just like ours. It happens to our family members, friends and neighbors. We learned that trauma and adverse childhood experiences are often the root causes of addiction and, therefore, the question we should ask those suffering from addiction is not "what did you do?" but "what happened to you?"

The Holy Friendship Summit would not have been possible without the support of many friends, community members and partners. We are especially grateful for the support and guidance from our partners at Duke Theology Medicine and Culture. We also want to extend our appreciation to our many volunteers who gave of their time and energy to make the conference a smoothly functioning and hospitable experience. We are also deeply thankful for our sponsors who made this possible through their financial support: Ballad Health, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, Chickfil-A, Gregory Pharmaceuticals, Jacqueline Leonard and State Street United Methodist Church. We are also indebted to our media sponsors: the Bristol Herald Courier, Johnson City Press and Kingsport Times-News. We also appreciate our exhibitors, who provided valuable information about their organizations.

We are excited to share that our ministry to address opioid addiction is continuing. We are announcing an interest meeting for the The Holy Friendship Collaborative on July 12, 2018, in the evening at Second Harvest Food Bank in Blountville. There, we will begin the process of launching postconference projects and intentional networking to respond to this crisis and bring Healing to Southern Appalachia.

If you and your congregation are interested in joining the ninety-eight who have already signed up, please register at holyfriendshipcollaborative.com.

Hope Inside Is your credit score under 700? First Tennessee Bank is partnering with the global nonprofit Operation HOPE to offer free financial literacy workshops and one-on-one financial counseling at a HOPE Inside office--now open at the bank's main office in downtown Kingsport.

HOPE Inside Counselor Alan Pickle said the three things the program wants to accomplish is get people to a 700 credit score, help clients reduce debt and create savings.

The first major workshop will be September 9.

For more information call 423/367-5768 or send an email to:

of Greater Kingsport on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Flickr, YouTube, or by visiting our website! Share your stories and photos, and let us know how you LIVE UNITED. Website: www.uwaykpt.org Facebook: facebook.com/UWayKPT Twitter: twitter.com/UWGK Instagram: instagram.com/uwaykpt LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/unitedway-of-greater-kingsport

alan.pickle@operationhope.org.