The Council for Drug Free Youth, a Mid-Missouri coalition that works with community partners to provide inclusive activities that support youth living drug and alcohol-free, has recently welcomed new leadership ready to make an impact in Moniteau County and beyond.
The nonprofit installed a pair of new leaders last months: Executive Director Andrea Holloway and Executive Board President Roger Whittler. The duo is joined by Project Coordinator Tijera Safir to round out CDFY's core leadership.
Despite their new roles, the group is comprised of experienced members of CDFY's team who have served in a number of roles with the coalition over the years.
Holloway has a master's degree in criminal justice and sociology and has spent time as a substance use counselor and a contractor providing substance use prevention training to members of the National Guard. Holloway has been volunteering with CDFY for a number of years, starting as a community outreach chair. During her four years of volunteering, Holloway simultaneously worked with the Missouri Department of Mental Health as its opioid treatment specialist. Holloway's started her latest role as CDFY's executive director Feb. 22.
Safir has been with CDFY for about a year and a half; previously, she worked as the assistant sports director at the YMCA in Kansas City. Safir said she began working at CDFY because working with youth is her "passion." Though she didn't have a prevention background prior to coming to CDFY, she's been able to learn as she goes, using her past work with youth to help. Prior to Holloway taking on her new role, Safir served as interim executive director, at the same time performing her duties as project coordinator.
Whittler grew up in Jefferson City and has remained tied to the area in the years since, attending the Jefferson City School District and Lincoln University. Whittler is an Army veteran and later served as a Missouri Highway Patrol officer following his college graduation. He retired in 2018, moving into a role as a licensed professional counselor working with the Missouri Bar Association providing treatment for attorneys struggling with mental illness or substance abuse. He's also a tennis coach at Capital City High School. Whittler, too, started out as a volunteer with CDFY, coming on board in 2011. By 2016, he was an executive board member. In 2019, he was the board's vice president. He assumed the president role on the board last month. Now, he leads the board, makes decisions in conjunction with the board, and approves grant submissions and programming changes.
After some time to marinate, the trio said they are excited for what's to come.
"Just hearing our project managers talk about these programs makes me excited because I used to do that presenting and talking, and I'm more excited because it is with the youth. I have three kids myself, so this is something that is near and dear to my heart," Holloway said. "And just like Tijera, I have a huge soft spot for kids. And going through my own struggles as a kid, a youth here in Mid-Missouri, I know what it's like. If I can help our kids not go through that potential thought process or struggle, I'm all for it."
Safir said she's excited, too. The COVID-19 pandemic meant many of CDFY's programs had to be canceled and the coalition had to get creative. Getting back to business will make for a busy year to come, she said.
"Moving forward from that, I think that we put our heads forward, our feet forward, and just keep pushing and developing and building; I think it's going to be an exciting 2021," Safir said.
Whittler said despite the restrictions of COVID-19 that have kept CDFY out of schools, the group understands that eventually the pandemic will have passed and its face-to-face contact will return. CDFY partners with United Way and has met with the Community Anti-Drug Coalition of America during the past month; Whittler said having these contacts is a great help when planning how to move forward.
"Knowing that we're embraced by these organizations and these people, and what we're doing is so important, it brings a level of comfort and optimism and excitement," Whittler said.
And it makes them feel like they're not alone, Safir said. She said CDFY knows it can reach out to partner organizations such as these for guidance and assistance.
In places like Moniteau County, much of CDFY's work goes toward growing the coalition with local volunteers. Whittler said CDFY doesn't necessarily do the boots-on-the-ground work; rather, it supports the framework to help continue providing CDFY programming through school systems. Such programming includes COPE, UPLIFT and Baseline, among others. These programs range from drama groups, like UPLIFT, to peer-to-peer exercises, all promoting topics like substance abuse prevention and anti-bullying.
"We're really knocking on the doors and shaking the trees trying to get people to fall in with us," Whittler said, gesturing to a large easel pad sticky note listing a number of area schools, including Moniteau County R-1.
But the ultimate goal is a worthy one, Whittler said, especially with the effect that substance abuse has on the area.
"Substance abuse, mental illness, (are the) fifth leading cause of death in our area," Whittler said. "So when we can have an impact there, and by the realization that these substances, these difficulties, do have an effect on their body and they understand that at a young age, it's priceless."
Moving forward, Whittler said one goal he personally has is encouraging more participation from local law enforcement and teachers at schools throughout Moniteau County, from California to Tipton to Jamestown.
Increased parent involvement is also a goal, Holloway said. Local parents know what it's like living in a certain community; Holloway said CDFY wants to help guide local volunteers using what works in their communities, rather than trying to force a one-size-fits-all approach based on its work elsewhere in Mid-Missouri.
"We can't just come in there and say, 'Hey, this is going to work because this is what worked in Cole County,'" Holloway said. "We want to mold it to that county."
For those interested in getting involved, the group said CDFY's website is a great resource. A volunteer link is available at jccdfy.org/volunteer. Alternatively, Safir said those who are interested but not sure if they'd like to start volunteering can sign up to receive CDFY's newsletter so they can stay in the loop regarding what the coalition's up to.
The group's contact information, as well as contact information for other CDFY board members, is also available at jccdfy.org; the group said those with questions can reach out any time.