First-Time Homebuyer workshop series
2026-04-15 17:30 - 20:30 (America/New_York)
Become a certified first-time homebuyer with Way Finders! Learn from local real estate professionals about the homebuying process.
The course covers finding, financing, purchasing, and maintaining a home. Participants receive a certificate of completion that is necessary to access several down payment assistance programs and special mortgage products.
This is a three-part VIRTUAL workshop:
Wednesdays, 5:30pm-8:30pm
April 15, 22, and 29
Cost of the workshop is $75 per household, nonrefundable.

Tori Ackley's Album Release Concert at BHMA
2026-04-16 17:30 - 19:00 | Berkshire Hills Music Academy, 48 Woodbridge St, South Hadley, MA, 01075, United States
Join us for a special musical celebration of the release of BHMA singer-songwriter Tori Ackley’s new album. After a year and a half of hard work, she and her team will host a live concert showcasing her original music. The evening will include performances by Tori and her band, with an opening set by Robbie Wilson, musician and BHMA instructor.
This event is free and open to the public, with a suggested donation at the door. Don’t miss this exciting milestone and a fun night of live music!

18th Annual Empty Bowls
2026-04-18 12:00 - 16:00
Join us for the 18th Annual Empty Bowls, a beloved community tradition held during a milestone year as the Amherst Survival Center celebrates 50 years of serving our neighbors with dignity and compassion.
Spend the evening enjoying a delicious, hearty soup prepared by your favorite local restaurants while connecting with community leaders, special guest hosts, and live music. Choose a beautiful handmade bowl from hundreds generously crafted and donated by local artists — a meaningful keepsake and symbol of the collective care that has sustained our community for five decades.
Alongside comforting soups, guests will enjoy fresh bread, salad, and dessert, with vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options available so everyone can gather at the table.
For 50 years, the Amherst Survival Center has worked to ensure no one in our community goes hungry. Today, more than 12,000 neighbors rely on our Food and Nutrition Programs each year. Every ticket purchased and every donation made at Empty Bowls helps fill empty bowls — not just for one evening, but throughout the year ahead.

2nd Annual Derby Kickoff Party: Cocktails With a Cause
2026-04-18 18:00 - 21:30
You’re invited for a night of Derby-style fun, connection, and purpose where every moment makes an impact. 🐎

By joining us, you’re not just having a great time; you’re helping strengthen the lifeline for cancer survivors and their families.
This is more than an evening of celebration; it’s a chance to stand with cancer survivors when they need support most. By sponsoring or attending this event, you are helping ensure that no one has to navigate life during or after cancer treatment alone.

Funds raised for the Each Moment We’re Alive Cancer Support Network directly sustain our free survivorship programs, live support groups, and personalized guidance for survivors and their families. Funds raised through the upcoming Derby Kickoff Party: Cocktails for a Cause will allow EMWA to also expand access to live support groups and expand our team of Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSWs) and trained facilitators, meeting the growing deman…

Free Summer Camp Middle & High School Students Registration Open
2026-04-23 08:00 - 17:00

Elevating Rural Experiences In Data and Action
2026-04-24 10:00 - 11:00

Unity House Players present, The Prom
2026-04-24 19:30 - 21:00

UMass 5K Annual Dash & Dine
2026-04-25 09:00 - 13:00
UMass Dining is excited to host the Fifteenth Annual 5K Dash & Dine on Saturday, April 25th, 2026! This event is open to both students and the community with the goal to raise funds for the Amherst Survival Center. We hope you join us for lunch immediately after the run/walk!

National Drug Take Back Day
2026-04-25 10:00 - 14:00

16th Annual Daffodil Run
2026-04-26 09:00 - 14:00
The Daffodil Run is more than a race, it’s a celebration of community.

Join us on the Amherst Common for music, local food vendors, family-friendly games, and a morning full of energy, all while supporting youth mentorship in Hampshire County. Whether you’re running, walking, or just joining the celebration, make your spring meaningful.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampshire County matches young people with caring adult mentors who provide guidance, stability, and support during critical developmental years. The Daffodil Run is our biggest fundraiser of the year! Your participation directly supports these life-changing relationships.

EnTEENpreneur Challenge
2026-04-28 09:00 - 17:00
Inspiring the entrepreneurs of tomorrow

When: Tuesday, April 28, 2026
Where: UMass Amherst Henry M. Thomas III Center at Springfield
Time: 9:00 AM ET

The EnTEENpreneur Challenge is essentially, a pitch contest similar in format to one seen on a reality TV show about entrepreneurship. Leading up to the event, students use the JA Company Program and the JA Be Entrepreneurial Program to learn valuable skills and build the mindset to be a resourceful, innovative entrepreneur.
Entrepreneurs and JA partners from the community make up the judging panel, and students have 90 seconds to convince the panel to fund their company. The judging panel determines 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners by numerical score based on a rubric that is available upon request. The top three teams receive cash prizes in the following amounts:
1st place wins $500 ($100 per person, assuming a team of five students)
2nd place wins $375 ($75 per person, assuming a team of five students)
3rd place wins $250 ($50 per person, assuming a team of five students)
Students do not need a ready-for-sale product to participate in the challenge. Students who opt to create a product can participate in a trade show in Tower Square. Awards are given for the “Best Trade Booth” and “Most Innovative Product” as voted on by the panel and by all student participants in the event.
In addition, the winning student teams are eligible to submit their plans to the JA USA Future Bound competition held annually. In 2026, the competition will be hosted in Boston, MA. If a Western Massachusetts student team is selected, JAWM helps prepare the team for competition and covers expenses.

Mindful Miles 5K Registration Open
2026-04-29 12:00 - 17:00
Mindful Miles 5K is Gándara Center’s annual community run and walk that brings people together to support mental health and recovery services across Massachusetts. The event raises funds for programs serving more than 18,000 children, adults, and families each year. Participants, sponsors, and community partners join the run to strengthen access to culturally responsive care and help ensure support remains available when people need it most.

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This year’s event continues the “On the Road to Our Golden Jubilee” theme as Gándara Center approaches its 50th anniversary in 2027. Every step taken during Mindful Miles helps move mental health forward and sustain programs that support individuals and families throughout the Commonwealth.

This Little Light of Mine
2026-04-29 17:30 - 20:30
Join the constellation of stars who support the CAC!
April is Child Abuse Awareness & Prevention Month and an important fundraising time for the Children’s Advocacy Center of Hampshire County (CAC). Join us in our mission by sponsoring or attending our events throughout the month.
Over 3,200 luminarias will be lit to represent the number of child abuse survivors that the CAC has served in Hampshire County. We hope you can attend our This Little Light of Mine event at the Look Park Garden House on Wednesday, April 29th, at 5:30pm.

Autism Connections' 34th Annual Autism Conference
2026-04-30 08:00 - 17:00
We are pleased to announce the 34th annual Autism Conference on April 30, 2026!
This exciting event is designed to foster a sense of community among a diverse group of attendees, including parents, caregivers, individuals with autism and autistic individuals, extended family members and friends, educators, social workers, and other professionals.
The Autism Conference offers a unique opportunity to engage with exhibitors and presenters who will share valuable insights and resources, providing knowledge, inspiration and motivation to expand your circle of supports. We are dedicated to focusing on resources that address the needs of individuals across all life stages.
We are particularly excited to announce our keynote speaker, Dr. Daniel Wendler, PsyD, clinical psychologist, bestselling author, and autistic self-advocate, who brings powerful insights on neurodiversity, inclusion, and human connection through both professional expertise and lived experience. In addition to the keynote, participants can look forward to an all-new and expanded line-up of 18 Breakout Sessions!
We strive to make this event available to as many people as possible. If you are experiencing financial constraints and are interested in attending the conference at a discounted price, let us know by checking the Request Financial Support box on the registration form. Thanks to a generous grant from the Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation for Autism we are able to offer up to a 100% discount on a limited number of tickets.
For all general event questions, please email us at AutismConference@servicenet.org.

Dispute Resolution Training
2026-04-30 10:00 - 11:30, 2026-04-30 11:30 - 17:00
Build your skills for navigating conflict in housing work. In this session, facilitator Kayla Allen will explore how conflict shows up, help you identify your personal conflict style, and offer practical strategies for managing challenging situations. Participants will gain insight into the underlying dynamics of conflict and learn how to reframe concerns in ways that support resolution, leaving with tools you can apply right away.

Hilltown Resource Providers Networking Event
2026-04-30 14:30 - 16:00

AI in Education
2026-04-30 17:00 - 18:30

Elevating Together: A Celebration of Youth, Legacy & Leadership
2026-04-30 17:30 - 20:30
For more than a century, the Urban League of Springfield has expanded opportunity, strengthened families, and invested in the future of our community. This year, we invite you to join us for an inspiring evening that celebrates that legacy and the leaders helping to shape what comes next.
Elevating Together: A Celebration of Youth, Legacy & Leadership will bring together civic leaders, corporate partners, and community champions for a powerful evening of recognition, music, and community impact.
Throughout the evening we will honor outstanding leaders whose work continues to uplift and empower our community while supporting the programs that serve youth, families, and seniors across Springfield.

Derby Party
2026-05-02 17:00 - 20:00

Savvy Caregiver
2026-05-04 10:00 - 12:00
Savvy Caregiver® is a class for family and friends caring for someone living with memory loss or Alzheimer’s disease.
For most family caregivers, caregiving is a new role and one for which training is needed-just as you would receive training for any new job. The Savvy Caregiver® Program helps caregivers better understand the changes their loved ones are experiencing, and how to best provide individualized care for them throughout the progression of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. Participants will learn how to feel better about their caregiver role and how to care for themselves. The Savvy Caregiver® Program was developed by experts in caregiving techniques and goes beyond introductory educational offerings to provide clinical-level training for family caregivers.

Spring 2026: Mondays fromMay 4-June 15, 10 am-12 pm In-person at Holyoke Senior Center

A Matter of Balance–Managing Concerns About Falls
2026-05-05 10:00 - 12:00
An 8-session workshop series (2 hours for each session) taking place once per a week, this workshop teaches practical strategies to reduce the fear of falling and explores medical, behavioral, and environmental risk factors for falls, stressing the importance of developing an exercise plan.

Summer 2026: Wednesdays from May 5-June 24, 10:00am – 12:00pm In-person at Belchertown Senior Center
Fall 2026: Thursdays from October 3-22, 12:30-2:30pm at South Hadley Senior Center

Domestic Violence Support Group
2026-05-05 13:00 - 14:00

Community Action Annual Meeting and Breakfast
2026-05-07 08:00 - 09:30
You are warmly invited to join Community Action for their Annual Meeting and Breakfast on May 7th! This gathering is a wonderful opportunity to come together and celebrate the vital progress CAPV has made over the past year in supporting our neighbors through essential services like Head Start, home energy assistance, and food security. It will be a morning filled with reflection, community spirit, and a shared look at the impactful work being done here in our local area. We hope you can join in the event as CAPV honors all of the year’s collective achievements and looks forward to the future of their mission.

Walk/Run for Adoption
2026-05-09 09:00 - 11:30 | new, 283 Lake Avenue, Worcester, MA, 01604, United States
Join us in Worcester for a day of community, connection, and fun—all in support of adoption from foster care. Whether you’re running for a personal best or walking with family and friends, your participation brings hope to waiting children.
Our Worcester Walk/Run event includes festivities, games, crafts, refreshments, and family-friendly fun! Walkers and runners are invited to complete a 5k fun-run, consisting of three loops around the course. All the funds raised from this event go towards helping children and teens in foster care find adoptive homes!

Designer Bag Bingo
2026-05-09 12:00 - 16:00

Immigration Protections and DEI Barriers
2026-05-12 10:00 - 11:30

Supervisory Skills Certificate Series: Spring 2026
2026-05-13 09:00 - 12:30 | Online via Zoom
Give new supervisors the skills they need to succeed. If you are planning on promoting, or have just promoted someone to a supervisory position help them hit the ground running with this 8 week course. With HSF’s strong team of seasoned presenters covering a wide range of knowledge from different points of view, we cover theory, soft skills, and hard facts. Conversation topics range from harassment law and insurance liability to finding common purpose in a team and how to transition from peer to supervisor, and much much more.
Register an individual who is eligible for a certificate, or a space for your agency to send someone different to each session depending on who the topic will benefit most.
This series is presented over Zoom. Series runs 8 consecutive weeks starting May 13th 9am-12:30pm all session. Full series is $600 for members, $1200 for nonmembers.

Series Topics and Dates:

Supervising Former Peers and Establishing Healthy Boundaries- Wednesday May 13th

This training equips internally promoted leaders with the tools to successfully manage former peers while fostering trust, accountability, and healthy team dynamics. Leaders will explore the psychological and practical aspects of transitioning into authority roles, develop strategies for setting and enforcing boundaries, refine their leadership identity, and enhance their communication and feedback techniques.
Presented by Will Weche; Willful Change LLC

Cyber Security- Wednesday May 20th

With the threat of cyber attacks continuing to rise, with an increased focus on social engineering, no one can afford to hide their heads in the sand and pretend that everything is ok. With a focus on practical, simple, daily steps that one can take, this session seeks to minimize risk to you, your organization, and your clients.
Presented by Chris Wisneski; Whittlesey

Employment Law- Wednesday May 27th

Avoid missteps that can lead to expensive and time-consuming litigation. Learn from practicing attorneys on the wording of the law, along with how that wording is actually applied. Covering a wide range of subjects to clear up misconceptions and acknowledging pitfalls, this session is packed with useful information that every organization needs.
Presented by Skoler-Abbott

Team Building and Conflict Resolution- Wednesday June 3rd

Through discussions that will include team activities and individual reflection, forge a shared understanding of team-building and the essential skills for conflict resolution and negotiation that facilitate the development of strong, cohesive, effective teams. Make your team stronger than the sum of their parts, drive unity, and be able to address conflict when it does happen.
Presented by Dr. Lucie Lewis and Janine Fondon

Culturally Responsive Supervision- Wednesday June 10th

Join us as we take a deep look at the many aspects that make up our identities and how they impact our leadership, our organizations and the people we serve. Improve our skills in having conversations about our differences in a way that encourages learning and growth while building intersectional resilience. We will strengthen our ability to have important dialogues, navigate predictable tensions and avoid pitfalls that lead to disconnection. This session helps supervisors cultivate trusting, creative and connected diverse working relationships.
Presented by Regi Wingo and JAC Patriss; Growing a New Heart

Liability and Benefits- Wednesday June 17th

Gain a better understanding of Insurance, and how it affects you, your team and your organizations. Understand what coverage you have, and might need, in a variety of situations from daily operations to special fundraising events. Learn the various forms of benefits available to understand what you have and be able to help explain to your team what their options are.
Presented by Ben Garvey; Hub International

Retention: Rewards and Accountability – Wednesday June 24th

People don’t leave jobs; they leave bad supervisors. This session puts a focus on how a supervisor can strengthen and grow those who report to them, creating an environment where employees want to stay. Covering how to multiple the strengths of your team, how to discipline in a way that productive, and how to praise, we will learn how to create a work environment centered on retention.
Presented by Diana Brooks; Diana Brooks Associates

Leadership Communication- Wednesday July 1st

This session looks at the building blocks of communicating clear messages to others. In a core aspect of leadership that is often taken for granted, those who excel at communicating often excel in supervision. Learn to avoid noise and interference, and how to properly process feedback to fine tune your messages for clearer understanding.
Presented by Jeff Tingley; Human Service Forum

Supervisory Skills Series Sponsor:

HSF Annual Sponsors:

Supervising Former Peers and Establishing Healthy Boundaries- Individual Session
2026-05-13 09:00 - 12:30 | Online via Zoom
Sessions from the Supervisory Skills Series individual session registration:
This training equips internally promoted leaders with the tools to successfully manage former peers while fostering trust, accountability, and healthy team dynamics. Leaders will explore the psychological and practical aspects of transitioning into authority roles, develop strategies for setting and enforcing boundaries, refine their leadership identity, and enhance their communication and feedback techniques.
Presented by Will Weche; Willful Change LLC
This series is presented over Zoom, 9am-12:30pm all session. Full series is $150 per person per session for members, $250 for nonmembers.

Series Topics and Dates:

Cyber Security- Wednesday May 20th

With the threat of cyber attacks continuing to rise, with an increased focus on social engineering, no one can afford to hide their heads in the sand and pretend that everything is ok. With a focus on practical, simple, daily steps that one can take, this session seeks to minimize risk to you, your organization, and your clients.
Presented by Chris Wisneski; Whittlesey

Employment Law- Wednesday May 27th

Avoid missteps that can lead to expensive and time-consuming litigation. Learn from practicing attorneys on the wording of the law, along with how that wording is actually applied. Covering a wide range of subjects to clear up misconceptions and acknowledging pitfalls, this session is packed with useful information that every organization needs.
Presented by Skoler-Abbott

Team Building and Conflict Resolution- Wednesday June 3rd

Through discussions that will include team activities and individual reflection, forge a shared understanding of team-building and the essential skills for conflict resolution and negotiation that facilitate the development of strong, cohesive, effective teams. Make your team stronger than the sum of their parts, drive unity, and be able to address conflict when it does happen.
Presented by Dr. Lucie Lewis and Janine Fondon

Culturally Responsive Supervision- Wednesday June 10th

Join us as we take a deep look at the many aspects that make up our identities and how they impact our leadership, our organizations and the people we serve. Improve our skills in having conversations about our differences in a way that encourages learning and growth while building intersectional resilience. We will strengthen our ability to have important dialogues, navigate predictable tensions and avoid pitfalls that lead to disconnection. This session helps supervisors cultivate trusting, creative and connected diverse working relationships.
Presented by Regi Wingo and JAC Patriss; Growing a New Heart

Liability and Benefits- Wednesday June 17th

Gain a better understanding of Insurance, and how it affects you, your team and your organizations. Understand what coverage you have, and might need, in a variety of situations from daily operations to special fundraising events. Learn the various forms of benefits available to understand what you have and be able to help explain to your team what their options are.
Presented by Ben Garvey; Hub International

Retention: Rewards and Accountability – Wednesday June 24th

People don’t leave jobs; they leave bad supervisors. This session puts a focus on how a supervisor can strengthen and grow those who report to them, creating an environment where employees want to stay. Covering how to multiple the strengths of your team, how to discipline in a way that productive, and how to praise, we will learn how to create a work environment centered on retention.
Presented by Diana Brooks; Diana Brooks Associates

Leadership Communication- Wednesday July 1st

This session looks at the building blocks of communicating clear messages to others. In a core aspect of leadership that is often taken for granted, those who excel at communicating often excel in supervision. Learn to avoid noise and interference, and how to properly process feedback to fine tune your messages for clearer understanding.
Presented by Jeff Tingley; Human Service Forum

Supervisory Skills Series Sponsor:

HSF Annual Sponsors:

Wisdom Circle For All
2026-05-13 10:00 - 12:00 | Online via Zoom
How do you live in your Field of Peace during turbulent times? Wisdom Circle for All
Our training and consultation series prepares individuals, communities, and coalitions that are strengthening their transformative work towards healing and equity-based relationships in divisive times. Come join our Wisdom Circle to cultivate a stronger sense of peace, possibility, healing and connection. You are invited to share space as we seek to meet one another in a field of peace and honesty.
What to expect
• Our circle keepers will share a brief insight through story, poem, or short video.
• Then, you will be given a reflection question.
• We will take turns listening deeply to one another.
Who is this for?
If you feel like this sounds nourishing to your soul, this is for you. Wisdom Circle For All requires registration for each monthly session.
How to participate
• It takes some practice and trust to get used to a circle. Most of the time, you will be listening to others.
• We encourage you to notice how you are moved and changed by sitting with others’ truths.
• When it is your turn, ask yourself: “Of all the many things I could say, what is coming to the front?”
–Remind yourself you do not need to say it all at one time.
–If you keep returning, we will come to know one another better.
–It is good practice to share time.
