Rockville, MD - The New Horizons Support Network, Inc., a non-profit charity and educational organization, today announced the formation of an alliance with Potomac Ridge Psychiatric Hospital. The coalition, "The Montgomery County Coalition for Unity and Peace," is intended to bring individuals, businesses and organizations together to create a visible show of unity and cooperation in the county insofar as peace, harmony and violence prevention efforts are concerned. 

"This alliance will serve as the first step in the creation of a countywide coalition for peace-building and violence prevention in Montgomery County," states Marcia Rosen, Director of New Horizons. "The merging of efforts on the part of these two entities grows out of the countywide violence prevention effort launched in June by New Horizons that commenced with a series of four town meetings on violence prevention to be presented within the coming months." The mission statement of the coalition is as follows.
 

Mission Statement: To expand visibility as a force for the development of peaceful communities. We are focused on implementing strategies which empower individuals and organizations who are committed to the common purpose of creating cooperation and unity in the world. The coalition is itself a peaceful organization of men, women and children whose very presence embodies this mission.

A brunch at the Potomac Ridge Hospital is planned for Thursday morning, October 26, 2000 to officially kick-off the activities of the coalition. Initial activities, currently in the works, are focusing primarily on identifying and connecting with Montgomery County individuals, businesses and organizations that are presently involved in peace building and/or violence prevention. The brunch is intended to unify a core working group of these organizations into one working entity that is representative of them all. The future vision of the alliance beyond this point is intended to be charted out by coalition members, beginning with this brunch.

Montgomery County needs you and your efforts to make a safe place to live, work and grow! Volunteers are needed now to provide assistance through New Horizons to help with the various tasks involved in organizing and maintaining the coalition. For more information call 301.424.6440