OUR MISSION
The mission of the SCC is to provide programs and resources to reduce stress, foster mental wellness, and empower our youth to thrive and make responsible choices about their health and safety.
You can make a difference in the lives of our community’s youth. It is never too late to volunteer your time to help change the course of a child’s life. We’re all in this together.
Create a safe and healthy environment for youth.
Keep youth free from alcohol and drug use.
Educate and empower families to make responsible choices.
Statement on Intolerance
The Safe Community Coalition firmly condemns racism, intolerance and injustice. We stand with those who are speaking out against the systemic racism that has marginalized and oppressed black people in the United States. Read more.
OUR HISTORY
The Safe Community Coalition (SCC) was founded in 1995, as an exclusively volunteer-driven, nonprofit organization. We are dedicated to creating a safe, healthy, drug- and alcohol-free environment for our youth. We aim to support the development of responsible decision-making skills, so that our youth will make healthy choices in life.
We offer programs for youth, parents, and the community, in collaboration with other concerned community sectors: schools, parent/teacher associations, businesses, the medical community, and faith, public safety, and civic organizations. Our activities are supported by corporate and private donations, and various fundraising activities.
The SCC reaches out to over 10,000 students at public and private schools in the McLean High School and Langley High School districts. These sectors include public and private elementary, middle, and high schools in McLean, Great Falls, Vienna, and Falls Church, Virginia. We invite everyone in the community to participate in building a better environment for our young people.
GRANT HISTORY
The Safe Community Coalition was founded with the federal government making funds available, through local school systems, to help localities prevent alcohol, drug abuse, and violence among youth. The Fairfax County Public School System arranged to distribute these federal funds through its Office of Alcohol and Other Drug Use Prevention (AOD) to the McLean and Langley High School pyramids (elementary, middle, and high school) representing each of the Fairfax County high schools.
Beginning in the spring of 1995, several federal grants have enabled the SCC to significantly expand its programming, hire new long-term staff, purchase necessary materials, and rent an office space. On October 1, 2004, SCC received a $72,000 grant from the Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to operate its programs.
With the conclusion of the last grant in the fall of 2014, the SCC has returned to its roots as an all-volunteer force, albeit one with greater presence and recognition across community sectors. The SCC’s new goal is to continue its programming with financial assistance from the community and member donations.
OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OTHER CONTRIBUTORS
Continuing our string of young creative minds, we contracted in August 2020 with Shanna Gerlach to design a logo for our 2020 “Managing the Moments” theme and came out with an entire new logo package! Check out Shanna’s website.
In 2018 the SCC contracted with website design up-and-comer Payge Kerman of Blooming Pixels Creative to completely overhaul our website. Now having started her second company, Wink, Payge still helps us out when we get in over our heads.
We contracted in early 2021 with Steve Pendlebury when we pivoted to virtual Sixth Grade Ethic Day. Steve provided great–and quick–video services for us! Check out Steve’s website.