notMYkid to hand out drug-test kits in anticipation of 420 (National Get High Day)

A Scottsdale-based national organization is mounting a pre-emptive strike against what is known as 420, or National Get High Day. notMykid  will hand out free drug-test kits to parents on the day before April 20, also known as “National Pot-Smoking Day.”

notMYkid co-founder Debbie Moak says the organization has found that kids who know there is a drug test in their home are empowered to avoid peer-pressure situations because they have a valid excuse: “I can’t, my parents might drug test me.”

Many kids have told her that they don’t want to do drugs, but they “feel so much pressure, like no one in the world is not using,” Moak says. “It makes me angry that parents can take so much of that pressure off their kids and don’t. When it comes to drugs, we [as parents] need to do more than just talk.”

After watching her son go through drug addiction and recovery, Moak, her husband Steve and Mark Rohde, Ph.D., started notMykid in 2000. The organization strives to educate the community, both parents and kids, about the consequences of drug use and other negative behaviors. Although originally only focused on substance abuse, notMYkids now sends young adults to talk to middle and high school students about substance and alcohol abuse as well as eating disorders, depression, self-injury, safe dating, bullying and Internet safety. According to Moak,  speakers reach 100,000 or more Arizona students a year through these school visits.

Parents shouldn’t wait until a crisis to intervene in their child’s life, Moak advises. “Stand up and be pro-active.”

First Check home drug tests will be provided free to parents on Thursday, April 19.

Nine locations nationwide will give out drug tests as part of notMYkid
on 420. The organization expects to hand out 6,000 free drug tests — 1,000 in Arizona alone. All are being donated by First Check.

Kits will be available at notMYkid’s national headquarters, 5230 E. Shea Blvd. #100 in Scottsdale, from 9am to 5 pm. Partner organization Rural/Metro will hand out kits at the Southwest Ambulence Headquarters, 708 W. Baseline Rd. in Mesa, from 7am to 5pm. — Amy Vogelsang

Nonprofits seek water donations for Valley’s homeless

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With another scorching hot summer nearly here, the danger of dehydration is very present and real, and this health risk is even greater for the Valley’s homeless, who often do not have access to life-sustaining water.

Nonprofit groups across the Valley are committed to providing these at-risk individuals and families with the water they desperately need to survive another triple-digit summer.

The Department of Economic Security reported in 2009 that nearly 7,000 children and youth in Arizona experienced homelessness and received services from state nonprofit organizations.

MARICOPA COUNTY

There are more than 8,000 homeless individuals in Maricopa County alone. The Human Service Campus, a group of 15 homeless service providers, has created the “Thirst Aid” program in an effort to reduce incidences of heat-related death among the county’s homeless population. They hope that the community will support them in their goal of collecting and distributing 500,000 bottles of water between May 1 and September 30.

Tax-deductible donations can be made online at ThirstAidAZ.org, or by mailing checks payable to the Humane Services Campus to 204 S. 12th Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85007.

Cases of bottled water can be donated directly to one of the following three locations:

Human Service Campus Office at the Success Center

• 204 South 12th Ave., Pheonix 85007
• 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday -Friday

Central Arizona Shelter Services

• 203 South 12th Avenue, Phoenix 85007
• 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday -Friday, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. Saturday

Lodestar Day Resource Center

• 1125 West Jackson Street, Phoenix 85007
• 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday -Sunday

Pickup services are also available in some areas. For more information or to schedule a pickup, contact Holly at 602-229-1242.

MESA

For the fifth year in a row, the City of Mesa will partner with local nonprofit groups to provide bottled water to the city’s homeless in the sweltering summer months through the Hydration Donation Program. Residents donated and distributed over 100,000 bottles last year.

The program’s five drop-off locations will receive donations of bottled water beginning June 1 through September 16. These locations include:

Mesa Fire Department Volunteer Center

• 2830 E. Adobe (located behind Fire Station 206 at Lindsay and Adobe)
• 24 hour drop-off in parking lot

Red Mountain Multigenerational Center

• 7550 E. Adobe
• 5:30 a.m. – 9 p.m. Monday – Friday; 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. Saturday

United Food Bank

• 245 S. Nina Drive (north of Broadway between Extension and Alma School)
• 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday-Friday (collection bins available on weekends)

Paz de Cristo

• 424 W. Broadway
• 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Monday – Friday; 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. Saturday – Sunday

A New Leaf – MesaCAN

• 635 E. Broadway
• 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday – Friday in the lobby

Give the life-giving gift of water to homeless children, adults and families in the Valley! — Sadie Smeck

Making sure children’s car seats are safe

National Car Seat Check Saturday is coming up on Sept. 25. Phoenix Children’s Hospital will be giving away free booster seats and also will be offering car seat safety checks.

“The goal of National Seat Check Saturday is to make sure all children are secured properly in appropriate seats — every trip, every time,” says Erin Kuroiwa, child passenger safety specialist.

Parents will have the chance to register for a booster seat if their child’s height and weight are appropriate, which means the weight must be between 40 and 100 pounds and height must be under 4 feet, 9 inches.

“When [infant] children outgrow their rear-facing seats, they should ride forward in forward-facing child safety seats in the back seat until they reach upper weight or height limits of the particular seat,” says Kuroiwa. “Once children outgrow their forward-facing seats, they should ride in booster seats in the back seat until the vehicle belts fit properly. And once they outgrow the booster seats they can ride in the back seat. All children younger than 13 should ride in the back.”

During the event, children can visit the Booster Barnyard, where they can decorate their booster seat, meet Booster Rooster, eat food and play games.

The event will go from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Progressive Insurance at 4425 E. Cotton Center Blvd., Building 4, in Phoenix. Families must register online for the free event: 602-546-CARS or phoenixchildrens.com.