The James Worthy Foundation is seeking young adults for our “Making A Difference” program.
Decades of research have taught us exactly what works to prevent teen pregnancy and help young people stay healthy. In 2010, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) launched a new initiative that asked one very interesting question:
What would happen if we took all that research and gave one community the resources it takes to put all those things in place?
The Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Campaign of North Carolina pulled together a coalition of local health professionals, parents, faith leaders, and youth-serving professionals to compete for one of the grants.
In September 2010, the CDC made its grant selections, choosing Gaston County as one of eight sites across the country to participate in the first-of-its-kind initiative.
Specific feedback from the CDC shows why Gaston County received funding:
- Gaston County needs support: It has a teen pregnancy rate that is higher than the state and national average;
- Gaston County has a history of supporting evidence-based pregnancy prevention programs, proving that local experts could get the project off to a strong start; and
- Gaston County has a wealth of programs, people, organizations, and medical facilities that – with support – can develop into a strong and sustainable network that can help all youth grow into healthy adults.