The funding will supplement PEP’s existing Drug-Free Communities efforts and help sustain outreach and mentorship services following recent disruptions to federal and state funding. The award supports a portion of leadership and youth mentoring roles and fully funds a community outreach position, ensuring prevention services remain consistent and accessible for local youth.
PEP provides substance misuse prevention education through schools, community centers and public events, with a focus on youth leadership and peer-to-peer engagement. Over the past 18 months, the program has reached 985 youth through 91 prevention classes and 32 community events.
PEP’s youth-led prevention model includes training in nationally recognized, evidence-based programs such as Peers Making Peace, Botvin LifeSkills and Positive Action, along with mentoring opportunities that build leadership, communication and workforce skills. Programming is delivered by professional staff in partnership with high school leaders and college trainees.
The West Virginia First Foundation award will help sustain staffing critical to this model, including partial support for the project director and youth empowerment coordinator, three part-time college trainees, and full support for the community outreach coordinator. The investment is intended to ensure continuity of prevention programming and mentorship for youth most at risk of losing access to services.
“We are grateful to receive this grant, which allows us to continue strengthening our community outreach and youth empowerment work,” said Angela Saunders, director of PEP. “By investing in young people, we equip them to serve as prevention leaders today, not just in the future. This support allows us to deliver prevention messaging youth to youth and help shape how their peers respond to substance use.”
PEP’s long-term sustainability strategy includes diversified funding, tiered leadership development and ongoing evaluation using national prevention survey tools and quarterly outcome tracking. The program has supported the development of the nation’s youngest certified prevention specialist and continues to expand its impact across Cabell County and surrounding communities.
For more information, visit pepwv.org.