Dear Friends,

Pictured above is my son, Alex. As Recovery Month comes to a close, I’ve been thinking about what recovery has made possible in my life. Being Alex’s mom is at the heart of that. Recovery has given me the chance to be present as he grows up and to give him the love, stability, and support every child deserves.

Motherhood has also made the work of prevention deeply personal. I want my son to grow up knowing he has people he can turn to, that he belongs, and that he can ask for help. Those are things we can nurture long before a child faces challenges with substance use.

As someone in recovery, I know how much it matters to have people in your corner early, before you know you need them. Not every child has that. Many of the families we serve are carrying things no one else can see, and their kids are growing up in the middle of it.

I want every child in our community to know that someone is looking out for them.

Our 28th Annual Red Ribbon Day is Saturday, October 10, from 10 AM to 2 PM at Nomahegan Park in Cranford. We'll walk together in the morning, and then the Family Fun Festival begins, with carnival games, pumpkin painting, a petting zoo, food trucks, and music.

Please come, and bring your family. If you can, start a fundraising page or join a walk team. What we raise that day supports our prevention, recovery, and family programs all year long, in schools, in our Family Success Centers, and in the communities we've served for more than 50 years.

Thank you for being part of this. I hope to see you on the 10th.

THANK YOU TO OUR RED RIBBON SPONSORS

Upcoming Events

28th Annual Red Ribbon Day: Walk & Family Fun Festival

🗓️ Oct 10 | 10:00 am - 2:00 pm

📍Hosted by Prevention Links and Union County at Nomahegan Park, Cranford, NJ

Join Prevention Links and the Union County Board of County Commissioners for the 28th Annual Red Ribbon Day Awareness Walk & Family Fun Festival, a day dedicated to prevention, recovery, remembrance, and the power of community. Take part in the Awareness Walk, followed by the FREE Family Fun Festival featuring music, pumpkin painting, a petting zoo, pony rides, carnival games, food trucks, a resource fair, balloon animals, and opportunities to connect with organizations making a difference throughout Union County and beyond.

Under this year’s message, “Everyone Knows Someone. Help Us Prevent the Next One,” we’re bringing our community together to raise awareness about substance use prevention, celebrate recovery, remember those we have lost, and remind every family that support is available. Walk for prevention. Walk for recovery. Walk for someone you love. Bring your family, friends, coworkers, and community and be part of one of Prevention Links’ most meaningful traditions.

Pumpkin Picking

🗓️ Oct 3 | 11:00 am to Finish

📍Hosted at Giamarese Farm and Orchard by Vision of Hope Recovery Center

Join us for a seasonal outing at the pumpkin patch! Enjoy the crisp autumn weather, spend time together, and choose the perfect pumpkin to take home. It’s a simple way to celebrate the season and make some great memories.

Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day

🗓️ Oct 6 | 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm

📍Hosted by Elizabethport Community Center, Elizabeth

Join us for Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day, a community event focused on raising awareness, sharing resources, and promoting prevention. Stop by to learn more, connect with local organizations, and help support efforts to reduce opioid misuse in our communities.

Fall Festival

🗓️ Oct 24 | 11:00 am - 2:00 pm

📍Hosted by Elizabethport Community Center, Elizabeth

We’re excited to invite our community to our annual Fall Fest on October 24th! Bring your family and join us for a fun-filled community celebration with activities, resources, treats, and more.

Our Fall Fest is one of our favorite events of the year, bringing together families, community partners, and local organizations for a day of connection and fun. We can’t wait to celebrate with you!  

Prevention Links is a private, non-profit organization with a history dating back to 1971. With community being defined as any environment where people live, work, or learn, the goal of Prevention Links is to pull together all available resources to eliminate the deleterious effects of drugs, alcohol, violence, and inadequate educational and health institutions in our communities

Our mission is to foster healthy sustainable communities by empowering people through education, collaboration and by serving as the linkage to resources.



Thank You to Our Sponsors