Meet the Drug-Free Task Force!
The Drug-Free Task Force is a work group within the Partnership for Health in Hunterdon County, NJ. The goal of the Drug-Free Task Force is to reduce underage drinking and substance use within Hunterdon County. We work with our community to help young people make positive and healthy choices.
VISION: to empower youth, families and communities in Hunterdon County, NJ, to make positive choices to live long, safe, substance free, and healthy lives.
MISSION: to empower youth and families to make healthy decisions and implement sustainable environmental change through collaborative community engagement and education to live long, safe, substance free, and healthy lives.
If you would like to be part of the innovative work with the Drug-Free Task Force contact Wendy Sidebottom, wsidebottom@njprevent.com
COALITION OF EXCELLENCE
BLUE RIBBON COALITION
The Drug-Free Task Force was honored to accept the award for the GOT OUTCOMES Coalition of Excellence during CADCA’s National Leadership Forum. We demonstrated an intermediate outcome that there was a change in perception of harm toward marijuana based on a multilayered approach and using the 7 strategies for community change. Thank you to our coalition members, our community and our partners including Prevention Resources, the Safe Communities Coalition, Positive YOUth and One Voice.
2026 Happenings
Lock It Up! Hunterdon
In late 2025, we launched the Lock It Up! Hunterdon initiative in collaboration with One Voice of Hunterdon and the Safe Communities Coalition of Hunterdon/Somerset. This initiative focuses on parents and guardians understanding their role in keeping their kids safe from substances. We know that the home is the #1 place that youth get substances in our county. Our focus is to remind them to lock up any substances: alcohol, marijuana, tobacco, medicines to keep them out of reach of their kids. It is never too early to start the conversation with your kids. We started with a focus on alcohol especially around the holidays. We also focused on Superbowl by partnering with local restaurants to put reminder stickers on pizza boxes. This is an ongoing initiative that will continue throughout 2026. Thank you to all our partners in prevention. We look forward to continued opportunities this year. You can learn more by visiting the Lock It Up! Hunterdon website https://www.lockituphunterdon.com/
CADCA and Capitol Hill
In February 2026, we attended CADCA’s annual Forum in National Harbor MD. While there we attended a number of interesting sessions where we updated our knowledge and skills. In addition, we attended Capitol Hill Day. This is an opportunity for coalitions to meet with their Senate and Congressional representatives and discuss the importance of continued support for our work by sharing outcomes we have achieved in our community.
Out in the Community in 2025
Library Partnerships:
In February, June and October, we proudly partnered with Hunterdon County Libraries to host special teen lock-in events—evenings designed to be safe, substance-free, and full of connection.
These events offer local youth a fun and secure environment to gather, explore activities, and learn about the real impact of substance use. Through interactive programming and peer engagement, we’re helping teens make informed choices while building a stronger, healthier community.
Thank you to Hunterdon County Libraries for opening their doors and standing with us in support of youth wellness.
Protect Your Game: Empowering Athletes to stay Substance-Free
In late 2024, we launched the Protect Your Game initiative—a powerful program aimed at educating young athletes about the risks of substance use and its impact on performance, health, and team dynamics.
We proudly piloted this initiative with:
- 🥋 Del Val Wrestling Team
- 🏒 NJ Bears Hockey Team
- 🏒 Hunterdon Bears Hockey Team
Hunterdon County takes immense pride in its schools and athletic programs. Through Protect Your Game, we’re working to ensure our youth stay informed, supported, and safe—on and off the field/mat/ice.
A heartfelt thank you to all participating teams for their leadership and commitment to fostering a healthier, stronger generation of athletes. We look forward to continuing and growing this program.
Out in the Community in 2024
Library Partnership – Red Ribbon Week Display
Our strong partnership with the Hunterdon County Library system continues to thrive, especially through impactful initiatives like our Red Ribbon Week display in October 2024.
The month-long exhibit embraced the theme: “Life is a Movie: Live It Drug Free” 🎬
With eye-catching movie-themed decorations, the display invited visitors to reflect on the importance of living a healthy, substance-free life.
One standout feature was the “Can You Tell the Difference?” section, which highlighted how THC-infused products can closely resemble everyday candy—raising awareness about the risks and confusion surrounding vaping and edibles. Alongside this, we shared key facts about substance use, especially targeting youth education around vaping.
We’re proud to collaborate with the library to bring meaningful, educational experiences to the community—and we look forward to continuing this important work.
Save A Life Day 2024: A Powerful Community Effort
On September 26, 2024, the Drug-Free Task Force proudly joined forces with local coalitions, recovery organizations, and county businesses to take part in Save A Life Day—a nationwide initiative that began in West Virginia in response to the opioid crisis.
This impactful day is dedicated to distributing Naloxone (Narcan), a life-saving medication that can reverse opioid overdoses. Thanks to the incredible collaboration across Hunterdon County, we successfully distributed 774 boxes which is 1,548 doses of Naloxone on that day alone.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our partners for their unwavering commitment to saving lives:
• Safe Communities Coalition
• One Voice of Hunterdon
• The Open-Door Recovery Center
• Sharing the Hope Family Support Center
• Harvest Family Success Center
• And all participating local businesses
Together, we’re building a safer, more compassionate community—one dose at a time. Look for us again on September 25, 2025 for the next Save A Life Day event!
National Night Out 2024
Although weather forced cancellations across the region, National Night Out was successfully rescheduled—and we were thrilled to take part in events in both Readington and the Town of Clinton. These gatherings gave us another opportunity to connect with community members, share resources, and promote safety and wellness in a fun, welcoming environment. Rain or shine, our commitment to building stronger, healthier communities never wavers. Louie the Lung was there to remind youth to keep their lungs safe by not vaping or smoking.
North Hunterdon High School Celebrations:
Our ongoing partnership with North Hunterdon High School reflects our shared commitment to creating safe, substance-free celebrations for students during milestone moments like prom and graduation.
Each year, we proudly support Project Graduation/Grad Night—an overnight event held on graduation evening that offers seniors a fun, secure way to celebrate together. Students are transported to and from the venue, where they enjoy activities, entertainment, and giveaways in a supervised environment designed to keep the night memorable and safe.
We’re honored to sponsor bussing and student giveaways, and we look forward to continuing this meaningful tradition next year.
“Not Your Best Option” Bench Display
We have created an art display to highlight the importance of asking your doctor for alternatives to opioids. The bench indicates that opioids may not be your best option, just how this bench is not your best option for sitting.
We have been proud of our many community partners who have hosted the bench including, Rt. 31 Main Hunterdon County Library, The Hunterdon County Chamber of Commerce, Town of Clinton Municipal Building, North Branch Library & Readington Municipal Building.
Advocating at Capitol Hill
We attended CADCA’s National Forum Conference in Washington D.C. and participated in Capitol Hill Day. Through meetings with Senator Cory Booker and Congressman Tom Kean, we effectively communicated the urgent need for increased funding and support for evidence-based prevention programs. By sharing real-world experiences and success stories from our work in Hunterdon County communities, the team effectively illustrated the tangible impact of proactive prevention efforts.
After connecting with Congressman Kean we were able to invite him to meet our team in Hunterdon county. He sent a representative who met with our Hunterdon County Youth Coalition and together they built “Prom Survival Kits”.
The kids were able to talk to the aid about his work in the congressman’s office and learn about the local government. They also spoke about what we are doing as a coalition to impact our community.
Make Prom A Night To Remember
We have created a multi-layered campaign centered around Prom safety. This campaign called “Make it A Night to Remember” highlights the importance of celebrating safety, having a plan in case of emergency, the importance of consent, and information about calling 911 in case of alcohol related emergency.
We have partnered with schools, prom venues, hair salons, florists, tanning salons, dress and tuxedo shops, and other community partners to distribute our “prom survival kits”. These kits have information about celebrating safely, consent and the 911 Lifeline Legislation. They also include goodies such as bandaids, mints, sunglasses, a comb and a jelly bracelet.
Zero-proof Night with Raritan Valley Community College
We partnered with Raritan Valley Community College and the Hope Club to host an alcohol free event. We created a bar like atmosphere and “bar tenders” serving alcohol free drinks. We used this event to help students meet others and understand an environment like a bar, but without the need to order alcohol.
Safe Storage Partnership with Union Chill Dispensary
We have partnered with Union Chill Dispensary to promote safe storage of cannabis to people who purchase cannabis products. They are displaying information about safe storage in their store and also have information listed on their website linking to the “Parents Hold The Key” initiative on our website.
