In September 2012, former Hunterdon County Prosecutor Anthony Kearns was searching for a way to reach all communities in Hunterdon County with critical messages about the growing dangers of substance misuse, especially among our county’s youth. Realizing that many of the more rural areas lacked central meeting places, apart from places of worship, he turned to the Safe Communities Coalition for help in creating a new way to reach these communities.

In partnership with the Safe Communities Coalition, led by then Project Director Lesley Gabel, Prosecutor Kearns focused on uniting the county’s faith-based communities into a coalition, knowing that this sector had the added benefit of being a proven protective factor against drug and alcohol misuse.

Working with local law enforcement, Prosecutor Kearns and the Safe Communities Coalition held a presentation for faith-based leaders on the dangers of prescription drug misuse. Faith leaders were asked to volunteer to develop a One Voice Steering Committee. In less than one month the steering committee was formed, and the One Voice of Hunterdon faith-based coalition began its outreach to all neighborhoods and communities in Hunterdon County.

Since its inception, One Voice has grown from its core group of 40 members to over 400. While originally intended to be primarily faith-based, the coalition has expanded to include all sectors of Hunterdon County including schools, businesses, healthcare, civic and youth serving organizations, media, and recovery, with the continued support from the Hunterdon County Prosecutor's Office.  In 2017, One Voice of Hunterdon, Inc. was incorporated into a 501c3 with the intent to apply for grant funding to further its mission. 

One Voice of Hunterdon is the first coalition of its kind in the State of New Jersey and has been nationally recognized by the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA). It has now expanded into a prevention agency focused on serving Hunterdon County, NJ.

Our Funding

Funding sources for One Voice include:

2018:  Federal Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Grant - (Office of National Control Drug Policy/ONDCP) 

2022:  Sober Truth on Preventing Underage Drinking (STOP) Grant - (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration/SAMHSA)  

2023:  Strategic Prevention Framework - Partnership for Success (PFS) Grant- (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration/SAMHSA)