Ashland Prevention & Human Services

10/30/2025

October is Substance Use and Misuse Awareness Month. 46.5 million American adults have had a substance use disorder within the last year.

Substance use deeply affects everyone involved, especially family and friends. While substance use can be devastating for those experiencing it and those around them, hope and recovery are still possible.

Please take a moment to watch and share this two-minute PSA written and directed by Marbod Faure in collaboration with Mental Health America.

46.5 million American adults experienced a substance use disorder within the last year. October is National Substance Use and Misuse Prevention Month. Substa...

10/26/2025

💛 Are You a Family Caregiver? You're Not Alone. 💛

Join us for a FREE Family Caregiver Support Program Presentation on November 3rd at 5PM at the Ashland Community Center!

📅 Date: November 3rd
🕔 Time: 5:00 PM-6:00 PM
📍 Location: 162 West Union Street, Ashland, MA
👤 Featuring Jenifer Murray, CDP from Springwell, Inc.

✨ Learn about available support services, resources, and receive a free caregiver notebook.

This event is perfect for:
✅ Adults caring for a loved one 60+
✅ Caregivers of someone with dementia
✅ Grandparents (55+) raising grandchildren
✅ Caregivers supporting adults with disabilities

🧭 Open to residents in Ashland and many surrounding towns (full list on flyer below).

📲 RSVP here: https://forms.gle/EjpDbugwDMqEgoD28
or scan the QR code on the flyer!

🧡 Caregiving takes strength — let us support YOU. Please share with someone who could benefit!

10/22/2025

Volunteer Drivers Needed – Help Support Your Community

The Ashland Food Pantry is seeking volunteers to deliver food to homebound residents in our community. This opportunity requires about 1–2 hours of your time per month, with some flexibility.

If you have reliable transportation and can lift 10–15 pounds, you can make a meaningful impact in the lives of your neighbors.

This is a great way to give back and work alongside our dedicated in-pantry volunteer team.

Interested? Contact the Ashland Food Pantry:
Phone: (508) 532-7949
Email: humanservices@ashlandmass.com

Please consider joining us in helping those in need.

10/10/2025

📅 Reminder: Join Us on Monday, November 3rd!

Join us on Monday, Nov. 3rd from 5:00–6:00pm at the Ashland Community Center (162 West Union St.) for an informative session with Jenifer Murray, CDP, Caregiver Specialist at Springwell, Inc. 💙

Jenifer will be sharing valuable information about the Family Caregiver Support Program — including resources to help caregivers make informed decisions, reduce stress, and support their emotional and physical well-being.

You'll also learn about Springwell’s Caregiver Notebook — a helpful tool to organize care details and start important conversations with your loved ones. 📔

Whether you're currently caregiving or planning ahead, this session is for you. 🧠💬

📍 Where: Ashland Community Center, 162 West Union St.
🕔 When: Monday, November 3rd, 5:00–6:00pm
👩‍⚕️ With: Jenifer Murray, CDP – Caregiver Specialist, Springwell, Inc.

✅

Please join Jenifer Murray, CDP, Caregiver Specialist at Springwell, Inc., for a presentation and Q & A about the services offered within the Family Caregiver Support Program. This program helps those who provide care make informed decisions, solve problems, reduce stress, and maintain overall physi...

10/09/2025

Spooky sighting at the Ashland Food Pantry! 👻

10/03/2025

FREE Caregiver Support Presentation at Ashland Community Center

Are you a family caregiver looking for support, resources, or just helpful guidance?

Join us for a FREE presentation hosted by the Ashland Community Center & Department of Prevention and Human Services, featuring Jenifer Murray, CDP, Caregiver Specialist at Springwell, Inc.

📅 Date: November 3rd
🕔 Time: 5:00–6:00 PM
📍 Location: Ashland Community Center, 162 West Union St. Ashland

Jenifer will introduce the Family Caregiver Support Program, which offers resources and guidance to help caregivers make informed decisions, manage stress, access in-home services and support groups, plan for long-term care, and stay organized with tools like the Caregiver Notebook.

A Q&A session will follow the presentation.

More details — including eligibility and a QR code to RSVP — can be found in the flyer below.
RSVP here: https://forms.gle/4tLsqQtJFP5cr5K49

08/11/2025

Register today! Join us on Wednesday, September 3, 2025, from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm ET for our free webinar, "Connecting with Care: Essential Communication Skills for Mental Health Caregivers." You’ll learn practical communication techniques for discussing depression symptoms, navigating conversations about professional help, using de-escalation strategies, and addressing trauma-related challenges with sensitivity.

Sign up and mark your calendar, https://www.familyaware.org/webinar/connecting-with-care-essential-communication-skills-for-mental-health-caregivers/

08/07/2025

We hope all parents can join this important discussion hosted by the Ashland Public Library on "The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness" by Jonathan Haidt. Led by Kerri Smith of The Well-Resourced Parent. Monday, August 18 from 6:00—7:30 PM in the
Schiesske Large Meeting Room at the Ashland Public Library. For more information or to register: https://ashlandmass.assabetinteractive.com/calendar/in-person-parenting-book-club-the-anxious-generation-w-kerri-smith-of-the-well-resourced-parent/

06/18/2025

Please help us stock our shelves for the summer! You can help by providing these much needed items. We thank you for your ongoing support of the Ashland Food Pantry and its commitment to ensuring that every Ashalnd family has access to healthy food.

05/20/2025

Thank you for your generosity and unwavering support! The Ashland Food Pantry is able to help our neighbors in need because Ashland is a gracious and resilient community! As we head into the summer season, it can be an even busier time in the pantry because many households are losing the support that the school year provides with breakfasts and lunches. I know last summer many Ashland residents made a concerted effort to donate during this time and it was so heartwarming to experience that level of care! They kept our shelves from going bare.

We truly appreciate all we receive. We are able to redistribute unopened and unexpired boxed and canned goods, snacks, juices, trash bags, diapers, wipes, other baby items, toiletries, cleaning supplies, and basic hygiene supplies. Unfortunately, we cannot accept and do not have a good way to distribute over the counter medications, clothing, and shoes. If you call the number on the flyer we would be happy to refer you to local organizations that may be able to accept those types of donations.

We can always use clean, dry, and refolded paper or reusable grocery bags!

04/24/2025

03/25/2025

Thank you for your generosity and unwavering support! The Ashland Food Pantry is able to help our neighbors in need because Ashland is a gracious and resilient community!

We appreciate all we receive. We are able to redistribute unopened and unexpired boxed and canned goods, juices, trash bags, diapers, wipes, other baby items, toiletries, cleaning supplies, and basic hygiene supplies. Unfortunately, we cannot accept and do not have a good way to distribute over the counter medications, clothing, and shoes. If you call the number on the flyer we would be happy to refer you to local organizations that may be able to accept those types of donations.

We can always use clean, dry, and folded grocery bags!