Billerica Substance Awareness and Prevention

03/06/2026

🎈Black Balloon Day – Remembering Lives Lost to Overdose 🎈

Today we recognize Black Balloon Day, a day dedicated to remembering those we have lost to drug overdose and standing with the families and friends who continue to carry that loss every day.

Across the country, black balloons are displayed in homes, businesses, and communities as a symbol of mourning, remembrance, and awareness. Each balloon represents a life - a son, daughter, parent, sibling, friend, all taken far too soon.

Here in Billerica, we pause to honor those we have lost and to remind our community that substance use disorder is a disease, not a moral failing. Behind every statistic is a person who mattered and a family forever changed.

🖤 Today we remember.
🖤 Today we support those grieving.
🖤 Today we recommit to prevention, education, and compassion.

If you or someone you love is struggling, please know you are not alone. Recovery is possible, and help is available.

Please consider displaying a black balloon, lighting a candle, or simply taking a moment today to remember those who are no longer with us.

02/14/2026

💘 Happy Valentine’s Day from Billerica Substance Awareness and Prevention!💘

Love is kind. Love is respectful. Love never pressures you into unhealthy choices.

Today, celebrate safe, supportive, and substance-free relationships, with others and with yourself. 💕

01/01/2026

Happy New Year, Billerica! 💚As we begin a new year, we’re reminded that prevention starts with connection, education, and compassion. Thank you to everyone who supports healthy choices and looks out for one another. Wishing our community a safe, healthy, and hopeful year ahead.

12/25/2025

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas!

11/26/2025

🍁 Wishing Our Community a Safe & Happy Thanksgiving 🍁

As we head into the holiday season, Billerica Substance Awareness & Prevention would like to wish everyone a warm, peaceful, and healthy Thanksgiving. We know that while this time of year brings joy for many, it can also be challenging, especially for individuals and families navigating recovery.

If you or someone you love is working to stay sober during the holidays, please remember that you are not alone. Support is available throughout the region, including Alkathons, extended AA meeting gatherings that run around the clock during Thanksgiving, offering a safe, welcoming space for fellowship, connection, and encouragement.

🕊️ Thanksgiving Alkathons in Our Region Include:

* Continuous AA meetings
* Opportunities to connect with sober supports
* Safe spaces to step away from holiday pressures
* Warm, inclusive environments for anyone seeking support

We encourage anyone who may benefit from these events to attend, whether you’re in recovery, supporting someone who is, or simply seeking a community space during the holiday.

From our team to yours, have a safe, healthy, and Happy Thanksgiving. 🧡

11/11/2025

🇺🇸 Honoring Our Veterans 🇺🇸

Today, we pause to honor the brave men and women who have served our nation. Your courage, dedication, and sacrifice protect the freedoms that define our community and country.

Thank you for your service, today and every day. ❤️🤍💙

11/07/2025

Thank you Julie and all our allies at MOAR - Massachusetts Organization for Addiction Recovery

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