One Voice Accomplishments

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). Former Hunterdon County Prosecutor Anthony P. Kearns III, Program Director Peggy Dowd and former Project Coordinator Rev. Harry Mazujian have been asked by CADCA to speak at their national conferences about the unique outreach efforts of One Voice.

Accomplishments:

· Launched in 2013, One Voice membership has grown to over 120 faith members.

· In 2017, One Voice of Hunterdon, Inc. was incorporated into a 501 c3 with the intent to apply for grant funding to further the mission.

· In 2018, One Voice of Hunterdon Inc. was awarded the federal Drug Free Communities grant to work on reducing underage drinking and opioid use among our teens in Hunterdon County.

· In 2022, One Voice of Hunterdon Inc. was awarded the federal Sober Truth on Preventing Underage Drinking (STOP) Grant from SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)  

Each year a topic of interest and concern is identified by the One Voice Coalition, with the vision that in every place of worship, on the same weekend, faith leaders raise awareness and provide support on a particular topic. The power of One Voice is to reach thousands of people in one weekend with an important message that affects our community. 

One Voice Weekend topics:

2023—Connection is Key

2022—Shepherding our Youth With Hope

2021—Prevention Through the Lens of Faith

2020—Resilience & Coping Methods during Times of Social Distancing To Prevent Substance Misuse

2019—The Harmful Effects of Teen Vaping

2018—Weekend of Compassion and Hope (for people suffering from Addiction)

2017—The Vital Role of Faith Communities in Overcoming the Addiction Crisis

2016—The Heroin Epidemic—Healing through Faith

2015— Harms of Marijuana on our Youth

2014—Suicide Prevention

2013—Prescription Drug Misuse

Faith Based Summits: Prior to the launch of the annual One Voice weekend, a Summit is held to introduce the topic and provide resources and support for how the information can be disseminated by the faith leaders. These events are attended not just by the faith community, but also by legislators, local government officials, law enforcement, prevention professionals and school personnel.

Attorney General Involvement: Because of the partnership with the Hunterdon County Prosecutor, the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office has become aware of One Voice and has been so impressed that they are trying to replicate this throughout the State of New Jersey.