Nominations are now being accepted for a program designed to celebrate grandmothers raising grandchildren. The West Virginia Drug Intervention Institute at UC is seeking nominations for deserving grandmothers who are raising grandchildren who deserve a day of pampering. Four grandmothers will be chosen for a day of celebration on December 9, 2019. The day will begin with a “spa day” and appetizers (courtesy of La Famiglia and Salon Fresh in Barboursville) followed by dinner at local restaurant to-be-determined and tickets to Cirque Musica Holiday Dreams at the Keith Albee Theatre.
The program, called “Glam-Maws” is supported by one of the Institute’s collaborative partners Murphy Media, LLC (located in Huntington, WV). The WV DII intends to expand the program in February 2020.
West Virginia is second in the nation in regard to the number of grandparents raising grandchildren and first in the nation in regard to children in state’s custody due to parental substance use. “Grandparents are often working multiple jobs to support grandchildren children, playing chauffeur to sports practices and school events, and navigating many programs and services simultaneously,” said Dr. Susan Bissett, president of the WV DII. “We want to find small ways to celebrate these unsung heroes of the opioid epidemic.”
If you know of a deserving grandmother raising grandchildren and would like to nominate her to be pampered for a day, please email the WV DII attention: meaghangoffreda@dii.ucwv.edu with the your nominees name, address and phone number along with a brief description of why your nominee deserves to be a “Glam-Maw.” Winners will be announced on December 2, 2019 via Facebook Live, so be sure to like and follow the West Virginia Drug Intervention Institute’s Facebook page!
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About the WV DII The West Virginia Drug Intervention Institute (WV DII) at the University of Charleston is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. The mission of the WV DII is to reduce deaths in West Virginia from opioid and drug abuse by being (a) an independent advocate for life-enhancing drug policies, and practices, (b) a hub for coordinating drug response activities, and (c) an educational center to address the prevalence of drug abuse and the stigma of drug addiction. The Institute is housed at the University of Charleston in West Virginia’s state capital and is designed to: identify and assess best practices through research and data analysis, provide education programs on prescription drug safety, collaborate with municipalities and agencies to promote best practices to prevent overdose deaths, advocate for policies that promote educational and employment opportunities for those in recovery, and identify and implement prevention strategies.