BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Get your vote in for the "Sweetest Kid Photo Contest" — an effort by Sweet Buffalo and Western New York United Against Drug and Alcohol Abuse to raise money to prevent substance use.
"We wanted to come up with a way to spread the good word about what Western New York United is doing while also making it fun for families and kids to participate," Kimberly LaRussa, founder of Sweet Buffalo, said.
Each vote counts as $1 towards Western New York United Against Drug and Alcohol Abuse — an organization working to educate children and adults about the dangers of drugs and alcohol.
Western New York United visits students in kindergarten through sixth grade to teach them healthy habits.
"We want to give them positive reinforcement," Kate Chudoba of Western New York United said. "We want to give them all those life skills so as they get older and are put in situations, they know it's okay to say, 'no.' It's okay to walk away."
Chudoba expressed the importance of parents having open conversations with their children.
"It's okay to talk about those hard topics, and start with open-ended questions — something like, 'hey, so-and-so got caught vaping, what do you think about that?' "
The "Sweetest Kid" will win tickets to various Buffalo sporting events, as well as getting their picture on a local billboard.
LaRussa said the contestant pool is filled with amazing stories.
"There are kids who have battled illnesses, and now they're doing their part to help kids in the hospital, or there's a child who's helping animals here in Western New York," LaRussa said.
Click here to vote or upload your sweet submission.
