About Us - Our History

The Northland Coalition was formed May 2000 in response to Community 2000 team members to collaborate in order to initiate larger, more comprehensive and more effective programs.  The Northland Coalition encompasses Clay, Platte and Ray counties in Missouri, with a population of approximately 297,563 combined. 

Community leaders and leadership from all fifteen Community 2000 teams, Ray County Coalition, and Youth With Vision, have come together to work on issues that have been identified by all.  Members have been successful in making a greater impact in the area by combining efforts, energy and resources. 

The Northland Coalition has successfully developed and implemented Go for the Grand, a program that targets 7th graders with the goal of providing them with the tools and resources needed to secure accurate alcohol, tobacco and other drug (ATOD) information on the internet.  

Since 2001, members have saturated the Northland (Clay, Platte and Ray counties) with the Those Who Host Lose the Most: Don’t Be a Party to Teenage Drinking and Safe Prom and Graduation Partnership, social marketing programs.  They were tremendously successful, with evaluations supporting their success.  A new evaluation component was added in 2002 - 2006 that showed fewer adults (from 11.4% down to 10.1%) willing to buy alcohol for minors.  In 2006, we found that 60% of the hotels and motels involved in our program were not willing to rent a room for a minor party while only 15% in a comparison community would not rent to our minor.  Local student surveys have indicated a reduction in most substances and law enforcement has reported an increase in reports of underage drinking. 

OUR GOALS >>>