We are excited to welcome mother, actor and author Melissa Gilbert as our New Celebrity Champion. Melissa joins our cause to help parents prevent and get help for a child who may be struggling with drug or alcohol addiction. the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids is now working with Melissa to empower parents and families across the country with a message of hope and strength as she shares her deep, personal connection to our issue.

Knowing that we offer a wide range of comprehensive resources for families who need help and support, Melissa is helping to remind parents they are not alone if they are faced with drug or alcohol addiction in their families. She is a strong believer that the ability for parents to research online at drugfree.org will comfort those who don’t know who to talk to when dealing with this issue at home.

Here’s what Melissa has to share about her personal motivation to support other parents:

“I’m hoping that [parents] will come away with … the thought that the stigma of being a parent with a child who is going through addiction issues is nonexistent, because it can happen to anyone.”

Like so many of you who grew up watching Melissa on television, we hope that hearing from a concerned mom like her will help today’s parents avoid feeling isolated.

Learn more about the collaboration between Melissa Gilbert and the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids in the Associated Press.