Outreach and education are key weapons in the war to stop tobacco usage.
Elizabethton native Allison Foster was recently honored for her work with the Carter County Health Department, being named one of the two Dr. Alma S. Adams $5,000 Scholarship recipients by Truth Initiative. Alexia Okorogu, of Washington, was appointed as the other beneficiary.
“Over the past decade, the Dr. Alma S. Adams Scholarship for Outreach and Health Communications to Reduce Tobacco Use Among Priority Populations has recognized students for their commitment to community service and use of the creative arts to raise awareness of tobacco’s harmful impacts in disproportionately affected communities,” Truth Initiative said in a statement issued to the Elizabethton Star.
Foster is a first-year graduate student at Emory University Rollins of Public Health and previously worked as a public health educator at the Carter County Health Department for two years. During her time at the facility, Foster helped spearhead initiative to help pregnant women quit smoking, prevent secondhand smoke exposure and reducing youth initiation of tobacco use.”
Foster’s work was also credited for the success of Grow Carter County, a grassroots organization currently seeking designation as a Tennessee Healthier Community by the Governor’s Foundation for Health and Wellness.
Grow Carter County was recently rewarded by the Foundation with a $5,000 check and group chairman Josh McKinney praised the effort of Foster, along with others, for work in getting Grow Carter County off the ground. Carter County Health Department Caroline Hurt also commended the work Foster was able to accomplish at the facility when discussing the impact of Grow Carter County
Foster was also essential in developing media campaigns to raise awareness about the dangers of tobacco use, led a tobacco prevention course with a local junior high extended program and helped advocate for stricter tobacco laws and policies, according to Truth Initiative.
According to their website, Truth Initiative is America’s largest nonprofit public health organization dedicated to tobacco prevention.
Visit truthinitiative.org to learn more information.