Project EMPOWER (Education Means Power)

Buncombe County’s Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiative.

Services: 

•  2003-2018: Provision of services to teens, male and female, of all socio-economic status, to prevent teen pregnancy, HIV/AIDS/STIs and to increase the drop out retention rate. African American youth and teens were the primary focus based on the teen pregnancy rate
• Evidence-based curriculum was implemented during school hours through the Asheville City Schools District and through the Asheville City Schools Foundation’s In Real Life (IRL) program after-school hours at designated approved schools. serves

*** Project EMPOWER’s current focus is to impact/reduce the opioid crisis in Buncombe County-currently in partnership with RHA Partnership for a Substance Free Youth and other collaborative partnerships.

Project EMPOWER Community Advisory Council

Seth Bellamy, Student and Representative for RHA Partnership for a Substance Free Youth

Philip Cooper, Change Agent Cooper LLC

Johnnie Grant, The Urban News  

Dr. Randall Johnson, Asheville City Schools District

Mr. Devin Lipford & WNCAP

Rasheeda McDaniel, Buncombe County Health & Human Service