Lancaster and Depew are the center of a new foundation aimed at curbing drug and alcohol abuse among young people. 

Community leaders came together to celebrate this accomplishment by the group F.O.C.U.S., which raised more than $20,000 for the project thanks to local donors. 

F.O.C.U.S. funds will go towards research on drug and alcohol use among young people, as well as outreach with an enhanced online presence.

The non-profit says it's seen an uptick in addiction, driven by the COVID-19 pandemic and isolation.

"We've seen rapidly rising drug abuse for a while now, and we started to see that decline before the pandemic and now the rates are just skyrocketing," said F.O.C.U.S. president Gwendolyn Bork. "Today was a sign of what it takes for a community to come together and to support each other.

Ten of the non-profit's partners donated $1,000 or more to fund the start of the foundation.