BRIC, INC
Since its creation in 2003, Bridging Resources in Communities (BRIC), Inc. has been dedicated to providing health education and prevention focused resources primarily to Wards 7 and 8 DC residents to empower them with the information and actionable strategies to create healthier, drug-free communities thereby improving the safety and livability of these communities. BRIC, Inc. has successfully secured and managed numerous federal and local grants for itself and for several of its community partners. We led the creation of and secured ten years of federal funding for the Ward 8 Drug-Fee Coalition in partnership with the Far SE Family Strengthening Collaborative (2006 – 2012); recognized as national model of effective, environmental strategies driven, urban-based drug use prevention.
From 2007 - 2011, BRIC was retained by the Dean of Community Outreach and Extension Services at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC) to do legislative research and related work to expand their current resources as the only totally urban land grant institution. We successfully included language in the 2008 Farm Bill removing outdated barriers to funding and providing new funding (creating a net increase in funding of close to $10 million a year); putting UDC on par with other 1862 land grant universities in the country. We helped UDC establish an annual Farmers’ Market, July 2009 and provided direct support of the 2010 and 2011 markets (on the main campus and in Kenilworth-Parkside, Ward 7 DC). We also helped the Suitland Technology Education, Engagement Resource (STEER) Center, Inc. secure a USDA grant and launch their own annual Farmers Market in Suitland, MD June 2013.
From 2007 - 2011, BRIC was retained by the Dean of Community Outreach and Extension Services at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC) to do legislative research and related work to expand their current resources as the only totally urban land grant institution. We successfully included language in the 2008 Farm Bill removing outdated barriers to funding and providing new funding (creating a net increase in funding of close to $10 million a year); putting UDC on par with other 1862 land grant universities in the country. We helped UDC establish an annual Farmers’ Market, July 2009 and provided direct support of the 2010 and 2011 markets (on the main campus and in Kenilworth-Parkside, Ward 7 DC). We also helped the Suitland Technology Education, Engagement Resource (STEER) Center, Inc. secure a USDA grant and launch their own annual Farmers Market in Suitland, MD June 2013.
Bridging Resources in Communities (BRIC), Inc.
Currently, BRIC, Inc. operates the Wards 7 and 8 DC Prevention Center (3939 Benning Road N.E.) in direct partnership with the DC Department of Behavioral Health. Guided by the U.S. Department of Health’s evidence-based Strategic Prevention Framework public health model, the four DC Prevention Centers work together to provide a viable and sustainable citywide drug use prevention focused infrastructure. Focusing on youth ages 8 to 18 and their caregivers, we work through extensive neighborhood based and affinity group based prevention networks to empower youth and adult community leaders to not only learn about the harmful effects of various drugs and related emerging drug use trends but also to identify local conditions and root causes fostering youth access to and use of various drugs and how to develop actionable strategies to address them.
Our Prevention Center staff supported by our trained youth and adult leaders distributes DC and Ward specific drug access and drug use data and related harmful drug effects information along with leading drug education capacity building trainings and logic-model based action planning sessions for youth programs, parent groups, senior groups, faith-based groups, civic associations, resident councils, workplace groups, etc. Key prevention network partners include: East River Family Strengthening Collaborative and Far SE Family Strengthening Collaborative and their Parent Groups, the Anacostia Coordinating Council, the Ward 7 Safe and Drug-Free Coalition, the Ward 8 Drug-Free Coalition and the United Planning Organization‘s POWER youth program. Key network neighborhoods include: Congress Heights, Barry Farm, Bellevue-Washington Highlands-Parkland, Kenilworth-Parkside, Deanwood and Marshall Heights. We also work very closely with the ANCs, Civic Associations, Resident Councils and MPD 6th and 7th Districts and their PSAs that serve the neighborhoods represented by our eleven networks, effectively reaching a cross section of the 145,000 residents we represent. 2012 -2016 we directly served approximately 5,000 youth and 4,500 adults annually.
We created and secured five years of federal funding for Ward 5 Drug-Fee Coalition, effective 10/1/14 along with an additional federal grant of four years of funding to support our underage age drinking prevention youth training and advocacy activities, effective 10/1/16. Our initial target community is Langston Terrace, Ward 5 (NE DC).
Our Prevention Center staff supported by our trained youth and adult leaders distributes DC and Ward specific drug access and drug use data and related harmful drug effects information along with leading drug education capacity building trainings and logic-model based action planning sessions for youth programs, parent groups, senior groups, faith-based groups, civic associations, resident councils, workplace groups, etc. Key prevention network partners include: East River Family Strengthening Collaborative and Far SE Family Strengthening Collaborative and their Parent Groups, the Anacostia Coordinating Council, the Ward 7 Safe and Drug-Free Coalition, the Ward 8 Drug-Free Coalition and the United Planning Organization‘s POWER youth program. Key network neighborhoods include: Congress Heights, Barry Farm, Bellevue-Washington Highlands-Parkland, Kenilworth-Parkside, Deanwood and Marshall Heights. We also work very closely with the ANCs, Civic Associations, Resident Councils and MPD 6th and 7th Districts and their PSAs that serve the neighborhoods represented by our eleven networks, effectively reaching a cross section of the 145,000 residents we represent. 2012 -2016 we directly served approximately 5,000 youth and 4,500 adults annually.
We created and secured five years of federal funding for Ward 5 Drug-Fee Coalition, effective 10/1/14 along with an additional federal grant of four years of funding to support our underage age drinking prevention youth training and advocacy activities, effective 10/1/16. Our initial target community is Langston Terrace, Ward 5 (NE DC).