MIAMI, FL--(Marketwired - March 15, 2017) - Informed Families, a Florida nonprofit devoted to helping kids grow up safe, healthy and drug-free, is proud to again sponsor the Safe Homes, Smart Parties® campaign -- an initiative aimed at keeping teen parties drug- and alcohol-free, supervised and safe. More details about this campaign can be found at www.informedfamilies.org/campaigns/safe_homes.
Spring is the unofficial party season for Florida high schoolers: after-prom parties, graduation parties and so on. When these parties are hosted in private residences, alcohol often becomes a factor -- teens bringing their own booze to unsupervised parties and, sometimes, even parents illegally providing alcohol to guests at supervised parties. From a liability standpoint, parents can be held criminally and civilly responsible for any damage resulting from alcohol consumed in their homes, whether they knew of the drinking or not. From a safety standpoint, any underage drinking is inherently unsafe -- kids can become dangerously ill, expose themselves to injuries and violence or get behind the wheel and potentially harm others.
Informed Families developed Safe Homes, Smart Parties to educate parents, students and communities on the risks posed by parties with drugs and alcohol, as well as to offer advice on how to host safe parties that are also fun. Elements of the campaign include:
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Tips on how to host a party that doesn't get out of hand
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Advice to offer teens attending parties at other families' homes
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Ways to help ensure kids don't throw an unsupervised party when their parents are out of town
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The Safe Homes, Smart Parties pledge, in which parents vow to set firm party guidelines; to forbid drugs, alcohol and tobacco at teen parties in their homes; and to properly supervise any party they host
As part of the Safe Homes, Smart Parties campaign, Informed Families is also holding a parent tip contest. Parents post their best fun, safe or healthy party tips to Informed Families' Facebook, Twitter or Instagram feeds, and five winners will be randomly chosen and receive a $50 Visa gift card.
Safe Homes, Smart Parties promotional materials are also available to Informed Families Ambassadors at Florida middle and high schools. Ambassadors have until April 15 to order campaign materials.
"Spring is a time of celebration for Florida teens, but unfortunately, alcohol and drugs make their way into those celebrations," says Peggy B. Sapp, president and CEO of Informed Families and president of the National Family Partnership. "Underage drinking is enough of a concern without parents compounding the problem by allowing alcohol to be served to teens at parties they host. The goal of our Safe Homes, Smart Parties campaign is for parents, and the community as a whole, to insist upon parties without drugs, alcohol and tobacco so that kids can stay safe, not only this spring but also throughout the year."