Addiction awareness event is Saturday

May 14, 2019 at 12:00a.m.

YOUNGSTOWN

OhioCAN (Change Addiction Now) Mahoning County, is sponsoring a daylong, family-oriented community event, Steps of Change, centered on addiction awareness and recovery in a stigma and judgment-free environment from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Youngstown, 1105 Elm St.

Laura Cash, a harm-reduction advocate, will be the keynote speaker. The event will include informational resource tables, a memorial shoe display, lights of hope to acknowledge those in recovery, a drum circle, live music, a basket auction, 50-50 raffle, children’s activities and food.

The community is encouraged to bring shoes, pictures or other mementos for the memorial display to remember loved ones who died due to overdose. Those still struggling with substance abuse are invited to come and receive free Narcan training and a kit.

Learn to eat healthy

HOWLAND

Healthy Eating for You, a free program sponsored by Mercy Health Foundation Mahoning Valley and led by a registered dietitian, will address portion size, reading and understanding nutrition labels and learning to eat mindfully.

This program takes place from 2 to 4 p.m. Thursday at Howland Medical Center, 1932 Niles-Cortland Road NE. To register, call 330-480-3070.

For information on how to support this program or other causes that seek to improve the health of Mahoning Valley residents, call Mercy Health Foundation Mahoning Valley at 330-729-1180.

Meridian HealthCare receives $68K grant

YOUNGSTOWN

The Youngstown Foundation recently awarded a $68,074 grant to Meridian HealthCare that will cover the cost to excavate and repave Meridian’s South Campus parking lot – part of an ongoing renovation project.

Meridian’s largest housing facility, Meridian’s South Campus, 550 W. Chalmers Ave., needed major renovations. One major issue that needed to be addressed was the replacement of all current windows, many of which are original to the building. Another was the parking lot, which was uneven and has a lot of large cracks and potholes.

Meridian’s South Campus offers several different programs to people in the community. The building serves between 300 to 400 individuals a year.