With ANR Foundation and ANR involvement, coalition building and smokefree education work toward ensuring smokefree air for everyone
A message from the President & CEO
Throughout the year, we have shared updates and action alerts about our smokefree work across the country, and the individuals and groups we have partnered with to make change in their communities.
Since 1976 when we started collecting supporters on the sidewalk in Berkeley, ANR has always worked at the grassroots level. We are grateful to all of you for making it possible for us to connect with and support these inspiring, passionate, dedicated, individuals to work to improve their health and safety in their workplaces. This work and these people are an inspiration to all of us at ANR/F. As we reach the end of 2022, I wanted you to hear from a few partners about their experience working with ANR/F.
Atlantic City, New Jersey
“I would like to give a special thanks to ANR for its financial support and expert guidance. Casino Employees Against Smoking Effects (CEASE) has been advocating for a smoke free work environment in Atlantic City, NJ casinos for over two years now and we are making great strides to reach our final goal. With ANR’s help we have gained over half of the state legislators as sponsors on our bills that will close the smoking loophole in the casinos.
Thanks to ANR’s tireless support, CEASE’s message is finally being heard and supported by local and state officials. I know with ANR’s continued help, together we will win this fight and finally get the justice we deserve. ANR has become a second family to the CEASE organization and this driving force will help save lives, not only in New Jersey, but all over the U.S.”
“Because ANR exists, people like me have a chance at finding justice in the workplace when it comes to exposure to secondhand smoke.”
—Nicole Vitola, Atlantic City Dealer, Co-Leader, Casino Employees Against Smoking’s Effects (CEASE)
Sovereign Tribal Nations
the Navajo Nation Niłch’ éí Bee Ííńá – Air is Life Coalition.
“The ANR Foundation makes it possible for unique Tribal programming that is successful at enacting strong smokefree laws on Tribal lands and is respectful toward the ideals of Traditional tobacco and Tribal sovereignty. Working with ANRF helps bring valuable information to key stakeholders involved with the protection of public health, Tribal sovereignty, and workers’ rights.
This work makes it possible for Tribal policy change champions, such as the Navajo Nation Niłch’ éí Bee Ííńá – Air is Life Coalition and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians smokefree casino policy proponents, to support and empower each other at in-person meetings.”
“The ANR Foundation makes it possible for new coalitions between Tribal public health and policy advocates and the leaders in the gaming industry to exist and share information on the benefits of smokefree gaming for the very first time.”
—Clinton Isham, citizen of the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians,
and ANRF Tribal Relations Consultant
Nashville, Tennessee
“I am so truly grateful to ANR for its incredible support of our work here in Tennessee. Because of it, we were able to repeal preemption statewide, and pass a smokefree ordinance in Nashville to finally include 21+ bars! And all of that happened just this year.
From funding, to research, to training and empowering us musicians to become powerful advocates, ANR has been there to support from day one. We’re just getting started here in Tennessee, and are so lucky to have a partner like ANR to help us learn, grow, and make historic progress towards a #SmokefreeTennessee.
“Because of ANR we repealed preemption and Nashville will be a Smokefree Music City in 2023.”
—Jamie Kent, Nashville musician,
ANR/F Artist at Large, and Chair of Musicians for a Smokefree TN
Gratitude for Smokefree Air
I hope you are as inspired as I am by reading these stories from our team on the ground as they fight for smokefree air. We are grateful for you—whether you’re part of one of our coalitions, work in public health, or you are being exposed to secondhand smoke. We all must work together! If you’ve just recently decided to support the work of the smokefree movement, or if you’ve been a loyal participant for many years—thank you for staying in this movement with us as we fight on.
If you’re a supporter of the smokefree movement, you are an important ally because even if you live in a smokefree place, you’ve not forgotten about the nearly 40 percent of people in our country who are not protected from secondhand smoke, people like Nicole, who must go to work every day in a smoky room.
At ANR Foundation and ANR, we wish you a peaceful and smokefree holiday season. If you can, please, take a moment today to take a deep breath and consider what impact your generous year-end gift will have on those people still exposed to secondhand smoke.
In good health,
Cynthia Hallett, MPH
President and CEO