Good food and funding news inside

Direct Service Providers (DSPs) working in the overdose crisis experience trauma as well as individual and collective grief due to the loss of clients, coworkers, friends and community. SADOD (Support After Death by Overdose) DSP program was created out of a need to offer grief support to the workforce impacted by substance use loss/suicide. SADOD’s DSP programming serves the community of providers such as recovery coaches, harm reduction staff, nurses, residential, MOUD program staff and more, by way of providing free monthly peer grief support groups and workshops via zoom. SADOD’s DSP workshops are developed and facilitated by DSP peers, covering topics related to grief /loss & resiliency while providing peers an opportunity to discuss these topics in community.

Presenters will include Gabriel Quaglia and Jill Shanahan.

Tuesday, January 13th from 10am-11am on Zoom

Get all the details here!

COSA members make it all happen. Thank you!

Center for Human Development

A Positive Place

Jo Landers

Want to join or renew with COSA? Click here.

UWFH announces funding opportunity

United Way of the Franklin & Hampshire Region is proud to support local programs fostering Healthy Communities in our region by announcing two three-year funding opportunities, running 2026-2029. These partnerships are available to distinct programs of nonprofit agencies providing substantive services within our coverage area and following eligibility guidelines.

Applications will be due online on Friday, February 27, 2026.

Amherst accepting CDBG applications

The Town of Amherst is now accepting proposals for the 2026 CDBG funding round. CDBG grants are designed to enhance the quality of life for residents in the community by supporting projects that will benefit low- to moderate-income individuals and neighborhoods.

Amherst will be accepting proposals until Friday, January 23, 2026 at 12:00 pm.

Learn More

Eat Up for Heat Up on Jan 25-31

Want to enjoy a great dinner out and help keep our neighbors warm? Community Action is working with over 20 local restaurants to make it happen. Eateries are choosing one night between January 25-31 to donate a portion of their proceeds to the Clare Higgins Fund for Community Resilience! Stay tuned or check out this page for upcoming info. A delicious way to help everyone keep warm this winter.

Restaurant List is Here

Supervisory Skills begins Feb 4th

Is your organization starting the New Year with new promotions to a supervisory position? Help get them up to speed with the skills and knowledges needed to survive. Human Service Forum's most popular offering, with a proven track record of empowering leaders, returns for a Winter session presented virtually over Zoom. With 8 topics by a diverse team of experts covering a wide range of subjects, members who complete all 8 weeks earn a coveted certificate from HSF.

Registration

UMass Public Health Career Fair on March 4th

Does your agency want to reach thousands of students interested in working in Public Health Sciences, Health Promotion & Policy, Nutrition, Biostatistics, and Speech Language & Hearing Sciences, along with students from other relevant majors in the life sciences, social and behavioral sciences throughout the 5-college area? Participate in the Public Health Career Fair on March 4th at UMass Amherst! Master’s and Ph.D. candidates from many disciplines will be there. They are interested in meeting and networking with local employers. Get more information at the link below.

Plan to Join the Fair

Puffer's Pond access improvements

The Town of Amherst is currently developing a project to improve Puffer's Pond. Planned updates will include better ADA accessibility, trail upgrades and boardwalks. plus protection of ecologically sensitive areas of the pond. To learn more and leave feedback on this project, check out the resources below.

Project Fact Sheet