by Erin Vallely, CANDLE Administrative Assistant
What a busy year it’s been for the CANDLE Coalition! As we reflect on 2025, we’re proud to share a summary of the coalition’s activities that have strengthened our mission to reduce substance use among people with disabilities in Cortland County.
Most importantly, our Year 4 funding from OASAS has been approved so we can continue our work in 2026. We were also awarded some Opioid Settlement funds from the county which will enable us to expand our work even more. Without these grants, the coalition would not exist.
We also worked hard to educate the community about our mission to reduce substance use within the Cortland disability community. Early in 2025 we were featured in the Cortland Standard newspaper which helped raise awareness for our work. Our mass media campaign pilot testing was completed this year, setting the foundation for our 2026 social norms and social marketing campaigns. We spread our coalition’s message throughout the community with two full-page newspaper ads, four full bus ads, and monthly newsletter articles, blog posts, and social media content focused on Disability Visibility and Spoon Theory which help to shift perceptions of disability and reduce stigma.
As always, data continued to drive our work. We completed our third community survey, adding valuable insights to our information surrounding disability and substance use. We also completed our second coalition capacity survey, updated our Capacity Plan, and our Capacity Evaluation. To strengthen our data infrastructure, we hired a new Data Coordinator and will use some of the Opioid Settlement grant money to retain our existing data team at RHI. With this move, we can continue to collect and analyze the information needed to guide our prevention strategies.
Ultimately, CANDLE seeks to build community and help show people they are not alone. We were grateful for the opportunity to support and participate in community events throughout the year, including Cortland’s first Mocktail Magic event, the Cortland County Mental Health Walk, Cortland Pride Fest, and the Cortland Counts Community Forum. We partnered with RHI, SUNY Cortland, TC3, CCHD, Cortland Prevention Resources, The LGBTQ Center, Lime Hollow Nature Center, SPLAT! Sumthin’ Paint Room, Area 51, New York Bagel, and Coffee Mania.
Lastly, we shared our coalition’s efforts by presenting CANDLE’s work at the Strategic Prevention Framework Group Meeting, the NYS OASAS Town Hall, and the CNY Prevention Resource Center’s Virtual Prevention Showcase. We also guest lectured at two SUNY Cortland Health Economics classes on supporting special populations through data collection despite ongoing political challenges. We taught students about the importance of lived experience and accessible public health initiatives.
As we close out 2025, we’re energized by the progress we’ve made and the partnerships we’ve built. Thank you to our coalition members, community partners, and supporters who make this work possible. We’re looking forward to an even more impactful 2026! To learn more or to get involved with the coalition, visit our website at candlecoalition.org.