What We’ve Been Up To: CARE-Dallas July & August Community Update!

Peter Pursley
Aug 13
2 min read

It’s been a little while since our last blog post, but for good reason—our team, volunteers, and partners have been out in the community working hard through July and August! From college prep talks and radio partnerships to peer mentorship and life-saving harm reduction, here is a look at what we’ve been up to lately.

Preparing College-Bound Students at Moody YMCA:

Date: Monday, August 3rd

To kick off August, John Campbell hosted an insightful talk at the Moody YMCA titled "Before They Go: What Every Parent & Student Should Know Before College". He addressed parents and rising seniors about navigating the realities of college life, covering critical topics such as alcohol, substance use, and emerging high-risk behaviors like gambling.

Joining John was CARE’s own Cynthia Pursley, who led a hands-on Naloxone training session for attendees and distributed doses to ensure families are equipped to handle emergencies.

Sweet Refreshments & Vital Info at Owenwood Farms:

Over at Owenwood Farms’ Back-to-School Fair, Cynthia Pursley and a group of dedicated volunteers set up an impromptu, last-minute lemonade stand!

While serving up (moderately) cold drinks, the team handed out educational materials in both English and Spanish covering the dangers of substance use—with a heavy focus on fentanyl awareness—alongside free doses of Naloxone.

Peer-to-Peer Mentorship: Dallas Jr. Police Academy

Prevention starts with connection! One of our incredible Student Ambassadors has spearheaded a new Peer-to-Peer Prevention Seminar Program. This initiative pairs older students with younger peers to foster honest conversations about substance use and the everyday peer pressures youth face.

He successfully hosted the program's very first seminar with the Jr. Cadets of the Dallas Jr. Police Academy. We couldn't be prouder of this youth-led leadership! (Not pictured, but deeply appreciated!)

Back-to-School Bash with Jack FM & JT Springer

Date: Saturday, August 8th

We teamed up with our friends JT Springer and 102.1 Jack FM for a fantastic Back-to-School Bash[cite: 1, 5]! JT, along with CARE Student Ambassadors and volunteers, gathered a massive supply of school gear.

Thanks to everyone who stopped by, dropped off supplies, or said hello! Those donated school supplies are already making their way to the local families and communities that need them most. We cannot be prouder of our relationship with the incredible people of Jack FM!

Real Conversations with Parents & Teens

Date: Saturday, August 8th

In a collaborative effort with the Dallas County Juvenile Dept. and Friendship West Baptist Church, Cynthia Pursley led a series of interactive presentations and discussions.

The turnout was fantastic! CARE is immensely grateful for opportunities like this where we can engage directly with students and parents in the same room to tackle tough topics together.

Harm Reduction Impact: 500 Doses Handed Out in July!

Our ongoing initiative to distribute free Naloxone throughout high-risk areas in Dallas reached an incredible milestone recently:

July Alone: Just shy of 500 doses of Naloxone were placed directly into the hands of community members!

Every single dose represents a life that can be saved. Thank you to everyone who supports our mission to keep Dallas safe, informed, and resilient.

Stay Connected

Thank you to our volunteers, partners, and community members who make this work possible every day! Stay tuned for more updates, and keep an eye on our channel for upcoming fall events.