BRANFORD, Conn. — AT&T recently donated $10,000 to the Branford Counseling Center, a Connecticut organization fighting to prevent heroin and prescription drug abuse among local residents.

The Branford Counseling Center is a community behavioral health and social services agency that provides counseling services, crisis intervention, mentoring programs and emergency assistance services for Branford residents of all ages.

Due to the recent epidemic of prescription drug and heroin overdoses, the Branford Counseling Center is investing additional funds in its drug prevention and awareness programs.  AT&T's $10,000 grant will support these efforts.

"The overdose epidemic is a major problem in Connecticut's local communities, and we all must work together to find a solution," said Kelly Wade Bettuchi, Director of External & Legislative Affairs, AT&T Connecticut. "We thank the Branford Counseling Center for its dedication to helping those in need and encourage everyone to make an effort to spread awareness about this unfortunate issue."

The Branford Counseling Center will use the $10,000 grant to fund educational materials, advertising, referral resources, social media tactics and motivational and educational speaking programs.

"We thank AT&T for this generous donation, which we will put toward funding programs that will make a major difference in the lives of Branford residents," said Peter Cimino, Executive Director, Branford Counseling Center. "Drug addiction is a terrible disease that affects the lives of so many people, and it is often difficult to understand. We urge our friends and neighbors in the community to join us in the effort to learn everything we can about addicting drugs so that we may find effective preventative solutions and save lives."

"The opioid drug epidemic has not spared our community", said Conn. State Rep. Lonnie Reed (D – Dist. 102, Branford). "During a recent forum, Branford mom Michele Sember described her family's painful ordeal when a son, a Branford High School honor student and athlete, became addicted to opioids and heroin. Other parents at the forum expressed fear that their children could also fall victim because the drugs are readily available and so highly addictive. They urged more effective prevention programs for the schools. The Counseling Center's mission to design programs that protect our children is critical and I am very grateful to AT&T for helping to fund this effort."