Billerica Substance Awareness and Prevention

11/02/2025

💜 Thank You for Joining Us at the Annual Overdose Awareness Vigil 💜

Tonight, our community came together with open hearts, shared memories, and unwavering compassion to honor the lives lost to overdose and to support those still struggling. Whether you lit a candle, shared a story, or simply stood in solidarity, your presence made this evening a powerful reminder that we are not alone in this fight.

Every person who came out tonight helped to break the stigma, raise awareness, and shine light into the darkness of grief and loss. Together, we are building a community rooted in empathy, understanding, and hope.

Thank you to everyone who attended, volunteered, spoke, and helped make this vigil possible. Your love and support mean more than words can express. 💜

11/02/2025

Join Us for the Annual Overdose Awareness Vigil

The Billerica Substance & Prevention Committee invites you to join us for our Annual Overdose Awareness Vigil as we honor the lives lost to overdose, support those in recovery, and raise awareness about the impact of substance use in our community.

🕯 Date: Sunday, November 2, 2025
🕰 Time: 5:00 p.m.
📍 Location: Billerica Town Common

This evening of remembrance will include a reading of the names, a bell toll, a memorial poem, music by John Murphy, and a candlelight vigil. Whether you’ve been personally affected or simply wish to show support, your presence matters.

Let’s come together in compassion, strength, and hope.

All are welcome.

10/03/2025

October 9th - you can participate through a hybrid meeting.

The Special Commission on the Public Health Effects of XYLAZINE is seeking public comment at its public hearing next Thursday, October 9. This hearing is hybrid, and will take virtual testimony. Instructions for submitting testimony - in person, virtually or in writing, can be found on the hearing webpage:
https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/5408

All persons who wish to testify are strongly encouraged to sign up in advance by completing this form: https://forms.office.com/g/TkZnhHd0VF

Please share with people who may be interested.

Cooley Dickinson Health Care Tapestry Hampshire HOPE MOAR - Massachusetts Organization for Addiction Recovery UMass Amherst School of Public Health and Health Sciences UMass Amherst University Health Services

10/02/2025

🌷 Join Us in Supporting Mental Health Awareness! 🌷

Become a Sponsor of the Mental Health Awareness Spring Festival – Happening May 9, 2026!

Our communities are facing a crisis like never before, an overwhelming rise in mental health struggles, substance use, and emotional distress. But together, we can be part of the solution.

We’re partnering with Northeast Su***de Prevention and Shawsheen Tech to invite mental health and substance treatment organizations, community partners, and compassionate businesses to sponsor the upcoming Mental Health Awareness Spring Festival on May 9, 2026. This event is more than just a gathering, it’s a movement to promote su***de prevention, encourage emotional wellness, and increase awareness around substance use.

💚 Why Sponsor?
The mental health of one individual can ripple through families, workplaces, schools, and neighborhoods. By becoming a sponsor, you're not only investing in a festival, you’re investing in the well-being of an entire community.

Your support will help:
✅ Bring education and resources to those in need
✅ Connect individuals to vital services
✅ Break the stigma around mental health
✅ Promote hope, healing, and connection

📅 Event Date: May 9, 2026
📌 Sponsorship Deadline: January 1, 2026
📨 Interested in sponsoring? Contact Angela Caira at acaira@shawtech.org

🙌 Every dollar, every partnership, and every voice helps create a healthier, more resilient community.

Mental health matters. Let’s raise awareness together. 🫶

***dePrevention

09/30/2025

. You can use your recovery story to inspire others. 💞Need help starting the conversation? samhsa.gov/find-support/helping-someone/how-to-talk-to-someone-about-help

09/26/2025

This , check in with someone in . Ask what brings them joy, what gives their life meaning. Remind them they are not alone. 💕 Explore ways to give support: samhsa.gov/find-support/helping-someone

09/24/2025

💌 This is a reminder that you are important. Helping a neighbor, sharing an activity, simply showing up for someone not only helps them 🤝, it also helps YOUR

09/22/2025

Doing things that lift you up makes REAL (Restores Every Aspect of Life). 🌟💡😀 Do you know the guiding principles of recovery? Find them at samhsa.gov/find-help/recovery

09/21/2025

On National Gratitude Day, let’s take a moment to say THANK YOU to the people who stand by us in our , and to ourselves for not giving up. 💐💝 Learn more about recovery ➡️ samhsa.gov/recovery

09/20/2025

🎉 Thank You, Billerica! 🇺🇸

We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate Yankee Doodle today and to all who stopped by the Billerica Substance and Awareness Prevention booth!

We were truly inspired by how engaged, supportive, and appreciative our community was. Your interest in learning more about prevention, awareness, and harm reduction makes a real difference.

Today we:
✅ Distributed 50 boxes of Narcan
✅ Educated countless residents on the dangers of counterfeit pills, Fentanyl, and emerging threats like Xylazine.
✅ Had meaningful conversations with people of all ages who care deeply about keeping Billerica safe and informed

🙌 A special thanks to Dan V. and Mike D. for their hard work behind the scenes - from setup to breakdown, your support made everything run smoothly, and we couldn't have done it without you!

Together, we’re building a stronger, healthier, and more informed community. 💚

09/19/2025

is learning to say, “I need help.” Recovery is hearing someone say, “I’m here.” Ready to start a conversation? 💬samhsa.gov/find-support/how-to-cope/how-to-ask-for-help