The Northfield Roxbury Drug Free Partnership, which operates the Resource Center, will close to the public on September 30. The President of the Board, Carol Seaver Holt, announced the closing this week.

"It may take us a bit longer to actually close the office and finalize reports, but we will not be able to serve the public after September 30," she said.

"Each of the past five years," Ms. Seaver Holt said, "the Greater Northfield Coalition Council was granted federal funding in order to operate the Resource Center, first on the Common and lately in the Gray Building. Our primary goal has been drug prevention--especially for youth, and the second goal has been collaboration and sustainability." This program was only funded for two, five-year grants.

It is expected that the school system and Norwich University will continue to offer workshops and programs initiated by the Drug Free Partnership. At the Center, prevention materials, computer access and referrals have been offered to the public. Resource Center Director, Roxanne Benson, said, "We've been very fortunate to work with a range of local nonprofits, Norwich University, the police department, and the school system over the years. The volunteers in those organizations and community members who helped have been priceless. We've had great support."

Everything the Partnership did had to be matched with in-kind contributions. Contractors accepted lower than market value payments, businesses were supportive and community members donated generously. The previous five years, the Partnership was granted federal funding to be one of two coalitions in the US to award small grants to local youth-serving groups. Grants were made to Summer on the Common, Haunted Hayride, Roxbury After School Program, the Teen Center, Good Beginnings, the rifle team and others. The groups matched in-kind, to offer substance free events and provide prevention material to participants.

Ms. Benson explained that, over the past two years, the Partnership has applied to various grant sources in order to continue to serve the youth of Northfield and Roxbury but there is not enough money to go around. According to Ms. Benson, Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy has introduced a bill to provide continued funding for prevention, but even if it passed, it wouldn't take effect until 2011.

"We are so grateful," Ms. Seaver Holt said, "for all the partners who collaborated with us. We made every effort to use the funding wisely to support the health of our youth."

The public is invited to visit the Center in Room 8 of the Gray Building, or to call Ms. Benson at 485-8081. The Center offers resources and information about alcohol, tobacco and other drug prevention, workshops, and computer use to all, especially youth.