Our Partners in Prevention
Our reach extends beyond the classroom. Through parent education, professional training, community partnerships, and public advocacy, we help strengthen the environments that influence children’s choices and development. We also continue to support community events that bring children and families together around a shared commitment to healthy, positive, and drug-free lives.
USF Institute for Translational Research
The Institute for Translational Research in Adolescent Behavioral Health is a joint program between the University of South Florida’s College of Public Health and the College of Behavioral and Community Sciences. It is a National Institute on Drug Abuse funded research education program allowing graduate-level scholars to carry out their research in a tangible setting. Mendez Foundation researchers and curriculum developers work closely with the institute and its scholars to study the real world implementation of behavioral health programs and interventions to understand the gap between research and practice. Each year, student cohorts from the institute examine areas of implementation to understand the barriers to the fidelity of implementation as well as the areas where successful strategies have yielded replicable results.
Hillsborough County Public Schools
Our commitment to prevention education began in the late 1970s when we recognized the need for prevention education to address substance use. We responded with the development of innovative prevention programming designed to reduce risk factors and enhance protective factors related to the use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. Through our 45 year relationship with the Hillsborough County Public Schools in Tampa, Florida the Mendez Foundation’s team of Prevention Specialists delivers the Too Good programs to school students district-wide.
Gasparilla Distance Classic Association
The Gasparilla Distance Classic Association, established in 1978, is a nonprofit organization dedicated specifically to raising funds for charitable youth organizations and running programs in the Tampa Bay area. Its mission is carried out through the administration of the annual Publix Gasparilla Distance Classic Race Weekend and Jr. Gasparilla Distance Classic in Tampa. Since 1991, the C.E. Mendez Foundation has supported the Publix Mendez Foundation Junior Gasparilla Distance Classic bringing children and families together to demonstrate their commitment to healthy living.
