Liberty Alliance for Youth (LAFY)

The Liberty Alliance for Youth, Inc. (LAFYI) team was formed in 1989; LAFYI is now a stronger, more viable, community-based entity than we have ever been.   In our early years, the primarily focus was “activities” for Red Ribbon Week.  We re-organized and re-structured in 1993 and our recent focus has evolved to environmental change and social norms.              

LAFYI members include key community leaders representing many segments of the community wheel and many of our core members (over 30%) have been supporting LAFYI for over seven years.  The team has been together for 15 years with a founding member still active.  Members have worked hard to create measurable change in Liberty and have involved youth in all program planning and implementation.  LAFYI credits their strong youth component for much of our success.   The team enjoys great coverage by local newspapers and continues their partnership with the Chamber of Commerce with their Character for All programs. 

Team strategies, including social marketing campaigns, make every effort to include the entire area population.  Their comprehensive programs, which coordinate multiple strategies, reach across all segments of the population. 

Major programs include:

• Community Educational and Awareness Programs
• Rachel’s Challenge
• Developmental Assets
• Parenting with Love and Logic
• Community Wide Social Marketing Campaigns
• Character for All Program
• Liberty Lifelines and Speaker’s Bureau - Underage drinking video 
• Social Norming Campaigns in the Elementary, Middle, Jr. High and High Schools on Alcohol, Tobacco and Marijuana
• Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF)

The community has been very supportive of our programs and, as a result, we have accomplished numerous outcomes including:

• Passage of a Minor in Possession (MIP) Tobacco
• Alcohol and Other Drugs at Open House Parties Ordinances
• Prior to becoming state law
• Reduction of vendors willing to sell alcohol and tobacco to minors
• Reduction of adults willing to buy alcohol or tobacco for minors