Focusing on what really matters.

At the end of January the Cadillac Area Community Foundation (CACF), CACF Youth Advisory Committee, the Missaukee Area Community Foundation (MACF), and MACF Youth Advisory Committee partnered to help fund a student program. The program, presented by national speaker Tony Hoffman, covered his battles with anxiety, depression, drug addiction, and mental health. On January 29th over 1000 students from 7 schools heard Tony Hoffman’s inspirational message of overcoming his struggles with homelessness, suicidal thoughts, drug addiction, bad choices, going to prison; and then turning his life around and participating in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games as a coach.

Many of the issues raised by Tony Hoffman in his program were also brought to light in a recent survey of area youth undertaken by the CACF Youth Advisory Committee. A total of 617 Cadillac Area Public Schools (CAPS) students participated in the surveying that took place in January 2020.

33% (270) of CAPS students in grades 9-12 participated in the survey. These survey participants feel that the top issues currently affecting them are stress from school (91.1%), mental health (75.3%), and stress from friends (54.4%). The survey also revealed substance abuse that included vaping ( 73.1%), marijuana use (15%), and alcohol abuse (9.6%).

73% (347) CAPS students in the 7& 8 grade responded to the same survey. They revealed that stress from school (80.5%), stress from friends (44.1%), and mental health issues (41.4%) are already a concern to them in the lower grades. Substances most abused by these survey participants included vaping (89.2%), marijuana use (38.5%), and alcohol use (26.2%).

These numbers are alarming! So where do we go from here? Read more