Pasco staff recently joined residents, families, people in recovery, and community organizations at the 58th Annual Stronger Together Recovery Walk at Sims Park in New Port Richey. The event brought the community together to celebrate recovery, reduce stigma, strengthen connections, and highlight resources available to individuals and families affected by substance use.
With guest speakers, local resource and vendor tables, family-friendly wellness activities, live music, and a community walk, the event created a welcoming environment for meaningful conversations about health and recovery. It also provided an important opportunity for Provider staff to connect with populations at increased risk for chronic disease and tobacco use, as well as organizations that serve these communities.
Throughout the event, there were numerous conversations with residents focused on the many benefits of quitting tobacco. We highlighted the positive connection between tobacco cessation and behavioral health, explained that Tobacco Free Florida offers several ways for Floridians to receive free support when quitting tobacco or nicotine, and discussed the short-term health benefits that can begin after quitting smoking. Visitors also received Tobacco Free Florida-branded hand sanitizer and lip balm.
We also spoke with community organizations about the important role they can play in helping their clients become tobacco-free. Organizations learned how connecting clients with free tobacco cessation resources can provide valuable support, how health care provider interventions can increase the likelihood of a successful quit attempt, and how Tobacco Free Florida’s automated referral system can connect patients directly with cessation support.
The Stronger Together Recovery Walk provided a valuable opportunity to reach a diverse group of residents and community organizations while sharing information about Tobacco Free Florida’s Quit Your Way program and automated cessation referral system. Just as importantly, the event helped Provider staff build relationships with organizations that serve populations at increased risk for tobacco use and chronic disease.
The connections made at the event are only the beginning. Provider staff plan to follow up with organizations they engaged during the Recovery Walk to continue strengthening partnerships, expanding access to tobacco cessation resources, and supporting efforts to develop and implement additional tobacco-related community policies.
By bringing people and organizations together around recovery, wellness, and prevention, events like the Stronger Together Recovery Walk create opportunities to have important conversations—and help make tobacco cessation resources more accessible to the people who need them.