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Got Drugs? Turn Them In

Written on: April 27th, 2012 in Helping Our Neighbors

Most families have some type of unused prescription medication in their medicine cabinets. The Markell family is cleaning out its cabinets this week and we invite you to do the same.

Unused prescription drugs pose a threat to our children, our families and our environment, which is why Delaware is again partnering with the Drug Enforcement Agency to sponsor National Take-Back Prescription Drug Day this Saturday, April 28, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. The National Drug Take-Back Day is a convenient, safe way to dramatically reduce the amount of expired and unused drugs in our medicine cabinets and in our homes. Our collective participation offers numerous benefits.

• We improve the safety of our homes and communities by preventing undesirable behaviors, such as unauthorized use or abuse of prescription drugs.
• We reduce the chance of a person using expired medicines, either purposefully or by accident by better organizing (and de-cluttering) medicine cabinets.
• We protect our environment by not allowing expired medicines to come in contact with groundwater when they are thrown in the garbage or flushed down the toilet, and by keeping them away from wildlife and domestic animals.

So take some time over the next several days to check the medicines in your home and to remind your friends and family to do the same. Delawareans can drop off all unneeded prescription and over-the-counter pills, liquids and cream medications (and even pet medications) at any one of the 31 collection sites statewide. The collection is both free and anonymous, so be sure to remove any personal information from bottles and packages. All drugs collected will be taken to special locations and incinerated.

Last October, Delaware’s collection sites took in 4,465 pounds of medications. We hope to meet or exceed that level on Saturday.

To find a collection site near you, click on the banner above or call 1-800-882-9539.

Tags: Delaware, drug, prescription drugs

A Second Annual Homebuyer Fair

Written on: April 26th, 2012 in Guest Posts, Helping Our Neighbors

Guest Post by Anas Ben Addi, Executive Director of DSHA

Buying a new home is a big decision; especially for first time homebuyers.

In light of the downturn in the housing market since 2008, it’s no wonder people are hesitant to take the plunge and purchase their first home.

The good news, though, is that there’s never been such a great time for first-time homebuyers to purchase a new home because of historically low interest rates and reasonably priced homes in everyone’s price range.

On April 28, 2012 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Christiana Hilton Hotel (100 Continental Dr. Newark, DE), the Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA), in partnership with DFLI~The Money School and the Delaware Federation of Housing Counselors, will hold its second annual Homebuyer Fair. The Fair will allow prospective homeowners – including individuals who have not owned a home in the past three years – to obtain the information they need to make their home buying decision less daunting.

We encourage individuals interested in purchasing a home to come to the event and attend seminars on a range of different home buying topics including: home inspections, strategies for finding the right home and negotiating on the right price. Realtors and lenders will also be on-hand to discuss financing options as well.

Attendees of the event can also learn about the DSHA’s programs available to help Delawareans purchase their first home such as:

• The First-Time Homebuyer Program, a statewide program, provides prospective homeowners who haven’t owned a home in the past three years.
• Rebuilding Our Communities (ROC) provides $15,000 in closing cost and down payment assistance to qualified homebuyers and properties.
• Second Mortgage Assistance Loan (SMAL) is a loan up to $10,000 for closing cost and down payment assistance for qualified homebuyers.

These seminar classes meet HUD-approved workshop requirements.

The event is free for the public to attend and we believe it will be a great source of information with more than 40 exhibitors including realtors and financial institutions, and service providers. Pre-registration is recommended, but not required. Visit the DFLI~The Money School’s website to register at: www.delawaremoneyschool.com

For additional information on the event, visit us on Facebook, on Twitter (@DEStateHousing and using the hashtag #homeownership) or on the State Housing Authority website.

Tags: Delaware, DSHA, homebuyers, housing