A local non-profit is going to make 2019 about making sure the community knows they are here and they are willing to help.

The DeWitt County Substance Abuse Coalition is hoping 2019 will be a year where their visibility in the community increases and more people become aware of who they are and what they do. 

Vice-President of the coalition Paul Skowron says they got a lot of attention when they brought Tim Ryan to the community to talk about his journey with drug abuse and recovery, but since then it has been hard to gain any momentum.

President of the coalition, Jeff DeLaughter says they want to make the community aware of their goals. He explains they aim to educate people about the pitfalls of substance abuse and be there for them when they are ready to seek help and get them connected to the appropriate people. 

Since the inception of the coalition, Skowron explains they have become a more focused organization. He says they have shifted to pointing people in the right direction who want help. He explains they have done this by having representatives from local providers be a part of the coalition.

The coalition is also seeking more volunteers to join their Board. You can learn more about the DeWitt County Substance Abuse Coalition by finding them on Facebook or DeLaughter encourages a phone call to him by dialing 217-413-0901. The Coalition meets the third Tuesday's of each month at 10 am. They are going to start meeting at The Vault on the downtown Clinton Square. Those meetings are open to the public and anyone is welcome.