Partnership for Drug-Free Kids Joins the Fashion and Music Industries to Help Address Substance Use Disorders Through "Don't Give Up" Campaign

NEW YORK, Sept. 19, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Partnership for Drug-Free Kids, in collaboration with Road Recovery, Bon-Ton Stores and Vanilla Star Jeans, has announced a new campaign, "Don't Give Up," featuring a specially designed T-shirt, supporting the missions of both nonprofit organizations.

The Partnership is committed to helping families struggling with their son or daughter's substance use, while Road Recovery is dedicated to helping young people battle addiction and other adversities by connecting them with entertainment industry professionals who provide mentorship and other opportunities. Bon-Ton Stores offers a broad assortment of national and private brand fashion apparel and accessories for women, men and children, and is an active participant in the communities it serves at its 260 locations. The collaboration was also made possible through the support of Vanilla Star Jeans, who produced 36,000 "Don't Give Up" T-shirts under the company's brand names Hippie Laundry and Lazer.

The "Don't Give Up" campaign was created to help build a community of individuals who have faced substance use and addiction and are speaking out to offer hope and solutions for others who are still struggling. The effort will help provide services, support and resources for parents, families, and youth who are dealing with substance use disorders.

The T-shirts illustrate Road Recovery's "Don't Give Up" design on the front and the Partnership's Parent Helpline (855-DRUGFREE) and website (www.drugfree.org) on the inside. The exclusive design is meant to serve as a call to action for anyone who is in need of guidance and support in dealing with substance use for themselves or a loved one.

"'Don't Give Up' will not only help raise awareness about substance use issues that millions of families face in their own homes, but it will help lead them to our free resources and direct services to get the help they need," said Kaila Packet Sassano, Vice President of Development for the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids.

"Thanks to the support of Bon-Ton Stores, the 'Don't Give Up' T-shirts will be sold in stores and online just in time for the 2017 back-to-school season," said Gene Bowen and Jack Bookbinder, founders of Road Recovery. "Bon-Ton embodies the true spirit of the 'Don't Give Up' campaign by supporting Road Recovery and Partnership for Drug-Free Kids and our critical work providing direct services to our nation's at-risk youth and their families."

The "Don't Give Up" T-shirts are on sale now at all Bon-Ton, Bergner's, Boston Store, Carson's, Elder-Beerman, Herberger's and Younkers stores and online at bonton.com/dontgiveup.

"Don't Give Up" began in January 2015, with participants sharing their own positive messages as part of the platform. To date, hundreds of participants have contributed to the #DontGiveUpCampaign on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Active participants include young people, teachers, parents, sober youth participants of Road Recovery's RecoveryTrax program, as well as Road Recovery supporters from the music and entertainment industries, such as Macklemore, Slash, Duran Duran's John Taylor and Roger Taylor, Smokey Robinson and Dr. Oz, many of who have also confronted similar struggles.

For more information, please visit Partnership for Drug-Free Kids. To learn how you can participate in the "Don't Give Up" campaign, visit Road Recovery.

About Partnership for Drug-Free Kids
Partnership for Drug-Free Kids is committed to helping families struggling with their son or daughter's substance use. We empower families with information, support and guidance to get the help their loved one needs and deserves. On our website, drugfree.org, and through our toll-free helpline (1-855-DRUGFREE), we provide families with direct support and guidance to help them address teen substance use. Finally, we build healthy communities, advocating for greater understanding and more effective programs to treat the disease of addiction. As a national nonprofit, we depend on donations from individuals, corporations, foundations and the public sector and are thankful to SAG-AFTRA and the advertising and media industries for their ongoing generosity. We are proud to receive a Four-Star rating from Charity Navigator, America's largest and most-utilized independent evaluator of charities, as well as a National Accredited Charity Seal from The Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance.

About Road Recovery
Road Recovery is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping young people battle addiction and other adversities by partnering them with entertainment industry professionals who provide mentorship training, performance workshops, peer support networking, and "all access" opportunities to create and present live concert events and recording projects. These industry professionals, who have confronted similar struggles, provide a vital peer support network for participating young people by sharing their experience, knowledge and resources. With support of professionals from the mental health field, Road Recovery seeks to empower youth of all backgrounds to face their struggles in a positive way and develop comprehensive life skills guided by professionals and supported by a community of like-minded peers.

About Bon-Ton Stores, Inc.
The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc., with corporate headquarters in York, Pennsylvania and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, operates 260 stores, which includes 9 furniture galleries and four clearance centers, in 24 states in the Northeast, Midwest and upper Great Plains under the Bon-Ton, Bergner's, Boston Store, Carson's, Elder-Beerman, Herberger's and Younkers nameplates. The stores offer a broad assortment of national and private brand fashion apparel and accessories for women, men and children, as well as cosmetics and home furnishings. The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc. is an active and positive participant in the communities it serves. For further information, please visit thebontonstoresinc.com or the company's web site at bonton.com. Join the conversation and be inspired by following Bon-Ton on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.

About Vanilla Star Jeans
Vanilla Star Jeans was established 17 years ago and has been one of the giants of the "garment industry" in regard to being fashion forward and providing a quality product. Vanilla Star Jeans (VS) is a manufacturer and e-tailer of juniors, missy & plus size apparel. VS supplies quality apparel at affordable pricing. VS bottoms assortment includes jeans, jeggings, shorts, skirts, joggers, Palazzo pants, overalls and more. VS tops selection includes plaid shirts, flannel shirts, kimonos, peasant blouses, sleeveless tops, tanks, shirts and more. One can find VS products sold under the brand names Vanilla Star Jeans, Lazer (young men's brand), Hippie Laundry (young women's brand), Stitch+, Stardom, Indiegirl, and proprietary labels sold at many other major retailers around the country.

SOURCE The Partnership for Drug-Free Kids

Related Links

http://www.drugfree.org