Winner of the UAPB/MISRGO/SOS Soccer Contest Talks About Quitting Smoking

The Minority Initiative Sub-Recipient Grant Office (MISRGO) at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) and Stamp Out Smoking (SOS) has successfully completed a public education initiative to encourage Hispanic men to quit smoking by giving away a sweepstakes package for four to a soccer game in Dallas, Texas.  The initiative was entitled “Be the best man you can be, for you and your family! Smoke-free!”

MISRGO/UAPB and SOS in partnership with Univision Arkansas announced the Grand Prize Winner Friday, July 12, on-the-air.  Mr. Alejandro Garcia and his family won four tickets to a soccer game in Dallas, Texas this fall; a one night stay in a Dallas hotel; and a $100 gas card.

Monica:  Mr. Alejandro, why did you decide to call the hotline for this promotion?

Alejandro:  Well, first and foremost, to quit smoking, because I smoke.

Monica:  Why do you want to quit?

Alejandro:  First, for my health and also for my family to be healthy.

Monica:  Does your family like that you smoke?

Alejandro:  My wife says it smells bad.  Laughter.

Monica:  There is also a law, Act 811, that says you can't smoke in the car with children under the age of 14.

Alejandro:  I didn't know that, but now I do.

Monica:  So what are you going to do to help you quit smoking?

Alejandro:  I'm not going to carry cigarettes with me; I'm going to avoid areas where people are smoking; and I'm going to use patches to help me quit.

Monica:  How do you feel about winning the trip?

Alejandro:  Happy!  My family is excited too.

Monica:  Is there anything you would like to say to our audience.

Alejandro:  Nothing more than let's quit smoking for the health of our community.

Winner of Stamp Out Smoking Soccer Sweepstakes Announced

MISRGO/UAPB and Univision Arkansas Award Grand Prize

(Little Rock, Arkansas – July 15, 2013) This past Friday, the Minority Initiative Sub-Recipient Grant Office (MISRGO) at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) and Stamp Out Smoking (SOS) successfully completed a public education initiative to encourage Hispanic men to quit smoking by giving away a sweepstakes package for four to a soccer game in Dallas, Texas. The initiative was entitled “Be the best man you can be, for you and your family! Smoke-free!”

MISRGO provides administrative oversight and program direction for a portion of the 15% Set-A-Side of the tobacco settlement monies from the Arkansas Department of Health Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Program. The goals of MISRGO are to prevent the initiation of tobacco usage among youth; promote cessation among youth and adults; eliminate exposure to second hand smoke; and identify and eliminate disparities related to tobacco use in Arkansas.

Mr. Alejandro Garcia

MISRGO/UAPB and SOS in partnership with Univision Arkansas announced the Grand Prize Winner this past Friday, July 12, on-the-air. Mr. Alejandro Garcia and his family won four tickets to a soccer game in Dallas, Texas this fall; a one night stay in a Dallas hotel; and a $100 gas card. 

“I’m very happy to have won, and I want to thank the Minority Initiative Sub-Recipient Grant Office for this opportunity,” said Mr. Garcia, Grand Prize winner of the sweepstakes. Mr. Garcia currently smokes and, through the promotion, called the Arkansas Tobacco Quit Line to get help kicking the habit. 

MISRGO/UAPB and SOS partnered with Univision Arkansas for the promotion to encourage Hispanic men to call the Arkansas Quit Line. The four-week initiative included media, public relations, and social media. Univision Arkansas’ viewers were offered the chance to win the soccer sweepstakes by calling a designated phone number after which smokers could be directed to the Arkansas Tobacco Quit Line. Over 100 people participated in the sweepstakes. 

“We are very pleased by the response and increased numbers of calls to the Arkansas Tobacco Quit Line,” said Toni McCastle, Media Liaison for MISRGO. “This is a step in the right direction to rid Arkansas communities of tobacco. 

For more information about the Minority Initiative Sub-Recipient Grant Office with the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff or the results of the soccer sweepstakes, contact Toni McCastle at mccastlet@uapb.edu or call 870.575.7722. 

Only 2 Months until the 10th Annual Clearing the Air in Communities of Color Conference!

We are celebrating the 10th anniversary of our signature conference this year on Thursday, May 16th.  Every year MISRGO provides a space and opportunity via the CACC to discuss tobacco prevention and education best practices, learnings, case studies and more that can be implemented in our minority communities.  Individuals and professionals commune to share practical skills and comprehensive information about the best tobacco prevention strategies and innovations and improve multidisciplinary interaction and collaboration among people in the field of tobacco prevention and education.  A variety of anti-tobacco advocates share stories of their experience within the tobacco industry and how they too seek to change consumption behavior within minority communities.

The conference will be held at the Pine Bluff Convention Center May 16, 2013 from   9 am – 2 pm.  There will be two tracks of activities: youth and adults.

This is our 10th year hosting this signature conference and will feature wonderful speakers and special guests!  Be on the lookout for your invitation in the mail!  Registration is free.  Call 870-575-8923 today to register or click here to register online.

Highlights from the 2nd Quarter 2012 – 2013

We had a very successful 2nd quarter in our work to educate Arkansans about tobacco prevention and cessation, and we executed several successful events and initiatives that reached minority communities across the state.

November 2012: Now in its third year, the 2nd quarter marked the completion of the MISRGO home game on-line ticket give-a-way promotion.  MISRGO partnered with the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Golden Lions Football Team and KIPR for Home Game Ticket Give-A-Ways through misrgo.org.  By visiting MISRGO’s website and filling out a short survey, an individual’s name was entered to win 2 tickets to a Golden Lions football game. The objective of the initiative was to connect UAPB’s Golden Lion supporters to MISRGO and our tobacco cessation and prevention message.
From this promotion, we received approximately 50 responses to the online web banner ad and registration process! Overall, we secured nearly 150 questionnaires from game attendees that visited our booth and educated thousands of UAPB fans on the ills of tobacco consumption.

October 2012: MISRGO participated in on-air interviews across the state to talk about the impact of cigar products on minority communities.  Look below in this issue of MISRGO Mentions for more information about this story.

November 28 – December 1, 2012: This quarter, MISRGO served as a sponsor for the 6th National Conference on Health Disparities that took place November 28 –  December 1 at the Peabody Hotel in Little Rock.  The 2012 conference focused on policies and programs to reduce health disparities. Presenters emphasized the role of social determinants, personal responsibility and prevention initiatives that reduce disparities.

MISRGO activated a booth to educate visitors about Arkansas’ minority tobacco prevention and cessation programs as well as the UAPB Master of Science in Addiction Studies program.
Thousands of health advocates attended the conference, several of which stopped by the MISRGO booth for more information.

December 2012: We also began our annual sponsorship with the Jammers Charity Basketball Game this quarter. The purpose of the partnership with the Jammers is to utilize the basketball games as a means to disseminate anti-tobacco messaging and helpful quitting information to all attendees.

For each game, MISRGO activates a booth for educational materials and on-site promotions, uses signs and collaterals, runs weekly radio spots to advertise the event, receives “mentions” throughout the duration of each Jammers Game and makes halftime announcements.

While we have a presence at every game through signage and mentions, your MISRGO team had a significant physical presence in Altheimer, AR on December 1st where we spoke with the 250 attendees and Gurdon, AR on December 15th where we engaged over 300 people!

¡Deja de Fumar Ya! (Stamp Out Smoking) in Our Community

As a component of our Hispanic Consumer Market outreach efforts, we kicked off the poster distribution campaign in the second quarter.  Posters serve as a key grassroots, communications tool for this audience.  The posters include a family-centric message and encourage our target audience to quit smoking to improve themselves and the health of their loved ones.  The posters also include an adhesive tear-off pad of information that noted the Quit Line as a call-to-action for those ready to quit smoking.

The key to education via this tool is not only the messaging but the placement of the posters as well. Through Advantage Communications, Inc. partnerships within the Hispanic Consumer market, posters have been distributed throughout Central Arkansas to locations frequented by Hispanics such as:

1. Grocery Stores (tiendas) 
2. Shopping Centers
3. Beauty/Barber Shops
4. Restaurants
5. Free-Standing Taco Stands
6. Night Clubs/Social Scenes

One hundred and four (104) posters were distributed in Little Rock and North Little Rock at 47 locations.  More than 150 posters have been distributed to date in Central Arkansas.  Next quarter, we will distribute more of these posters in Northwest Arkansas!

Addiction Studies Now On Facebook!

UAPB Master of Science in Addiction Studies program now has a Facebook page!  Please click here to take a look and like us!  Feel free to send us suggestions of postings and information for this page.  Make sure to refer your friends as well!  Want to enroll to get your Master of Science in Addiction Studies from UAPB?  Click here to visit our website or give us a call at 870-575-7715.

http://addictionstudies.uapb.edu/

http://www.facebook.com/UapbMasterOfScienceDegreeInAddictionStudies

FY14 Sub-Grantees to be Announced Soon

Thank you to everyone who applied for monies for FY14!  We will be announcing new sub-grantees this coming July.  Call us at 870-575-3923 for more information or to apply for a mini-grant today!