ZIP Code Project Enters Next Phases

UW-CTRI recently trained two Milwaukee residents who had volunteered to serve as quit coaches for the “ZIP Code Project,” which is designed to help residents in Milwaukee ZIP code 53212 become aware of free resources to help them quit smoking.

Bruce Christiansen, Mary Balistreri and Erin TerBeek trained the new coaches, who talk to people in the 53212 community about why to quit and how to get resources to help. “So many people in the community think quitting is all about willpower,” Bruce said. “We’re teaching them how to coach smokers that smoking is an addiction and while it takes will power to quit there are ways to build up will power just like one builds up a muscle. As you might expect, the coaches encourage the use of medications and coaching. They direct those interested in quitting to local programs at the Vincent Family Resource Center and to the Wisconsin Tobacco Quit Line.” The Milwaukee office is now a ‘Fax to Quit’ site to facilitate this. UW-CTRI is partnering with the Salvation Army and Vincent Family Resource Center (part of St. Vincent de Paul Society) to reach out to community churches, agencies and healthcare providers to recruit more coaches for the project.

The ZIP Code Project is divided into three action steps:

1. Action One: Marketing campaign to raise awareness of the reasons to quit tobacco.
2. Action Two: Dispel misinformation and boost individual self-efficacy of smokers.
3. Action Three: Direct coaching to smokers on how to quit.