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Wednesday, February 14, 2007
MADD College Program Expands with $150,000 Grant from CarMax Foundation
Funds Will Be Used to Curb Underage Drinking and Driving
Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) has received a $150,000 grant from The CarMax Foundation to found five new student-led UMADD chapters and to fund existing UMADD chapters on college campuses in the United States. The founding sponsor of the UMADD program, the CarMax Foundation has provided a total of $400,000 in funding since 2004.
"All too often, underage alcohol use and binge drinking is accepted as a rite of passage, especially in college," said MADD national president Glynn Birch. "Through UMADD chapters, students can help change that culture by directly influencing their peers, campuses, and communities through education and enforcement. We share CarMax's commitment to protecting the lives of college students, and together we will continue to do this by expanding the UMADD program."
The campus-based UMADD program goal is to offer students various prevention strategies against underage drinking, binge drinking, and impaired driving; restrict youth accessibility to alcohol; increase enforcement of underage drinking and impaired driving laws; and to engage campus leaders to minimize alcohol-related problems.
Research shows that drinking by college students (ages 18-24) is a factor in an annual estimated 1,700 student deaths, 500,000 injuries, 600,000 assaults, and 70,000 sexual assaults. Moreover, as a result of college drinking, it is estimated that 400,000 students engage in unprotected sex, and 150,000 develop an alcohol-related health annually. About 25 percent of college students report drinking alcohol leads to negative academic consequences.
The UMADD program has launched 14 chapters on college campuses thanks to the CarMax Foundation's funding. This most recent grant will provide each UMADD chapter with funds to recruit and train student leaders, conduct prevention projects on campus, and work with the surrounding community to ensure underage students do not have access to alcohol.
"At CarMax, safety is a top priority," said president of the CarMax Foundation, Joe Kunkel. "Our partnership with the UMADD program is making a difference by getting college students involved in developing safe driving habits at a critical stage in their lives. The CarMax Foundation is proud to support UMADD as they continue to work tirelessly to educate college students and end drunk driving."
MADD's vocation is to stop drunk driving, assist the victims of this violent crime, and end underage drinking. Since being founded in 1980, MADD has helped save more than 330,000 lives. A 501 (c)(3) non-profit grassroots organization, MADD has more than 400 offices and approximately 2 million members and supporters nationwide. Learn more about them on the Web at http://www.madd.org/.
Driver education helps increase driving safety awareness and ensures the well being of American drivers. The National Safety Commission recommends The Driver Education Handbook for Parents as a valuable teaching tool for parents who are concerned with their teen's driving safety and understand the value of quality instruction.
Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) has received a $150,000 grant from The CarMax Foundation to found five new student-led UMADD chapters and to fund existing UMADD chapters on college campuses in the United States. The founding sponsor of the UMADD program, the CarMax Foundation has provided a total of $400,000 in funding since 2004.
"All too often, underage alcohol use and binge drinking is accepted as a rite of passage, especially in college," said MADD national president Glynn Birch. "Through UMADD chapters, students can help change that culture by directly influencing their peers, campuses, and communities through education and enforcement. We share CarMax's commitment to protecting the lives of college students, and together we will continue to do this by expanding the UMADD program."
The campus-based UMADD program goal is to offer students various prevention strategies against underage drinking, binge drinking, and impaired driving; restrict youth accessibility to alcohol; increase enforcement of underage drinking and impaired driving laws; and to engage campus leaders to minimize alcohol-related problems.
Research shows that drinking by college students (ages 18-24) is a factor in an annual estimated 1,700 student deaths, 500,000 injuries, 600,000 assaults, and 70,000 sexual assaults. Moreover, as a result of college drinking, it is estimated that 400,000 students engage in unprotected sex, and 150,000 develop an alcohol-related health annually. About 25 percent of college students report drinking alcohol leads to negative academic consequences.
The UMADD program has launched 14 chapters on college campuses thanks to the CarMax Foundation's funding. This most recent grant will provide each UMADD chapter with funds to recruit and train student leaders, conduct prevention projects on campus, and work with the surrounding community to ensure underage students do not have access to alcohol.
"At CarMax, safety is a top priority," said president of the CarMax Foundation, Joe Kunkel. "Our partnership with the UMADD program is making a difference by getting college students involved in developing safe driving habits at a critical stage in their lives. The CarMax Foundation is proud to support UMADD as they continue to work tirelessly to educate college students and end drunk driving."
MADD's vocation is to stop drunk driving, assist the victims of this violent crime, and end underage drinking. Since being founded in 1980, MADD has helped save more than 330,000 lives. A 501 (c)(3) non-profit grassroots organization, MADD has more than 400 offices and approximately 2 million members and supporters nationwide. Learn more about them on the Web at http://www.madd.org/.
Driver education helps increase driving safety awareness and ensures the well being of American drivers. The National Safety Commission recommends The Driver Education Handbook for Parents as a valuable teaching tool for parents who are concerned with their teen's driving safety and understand the value of quality instruction.
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