Berkshire Community Mobilizes for Harm Reduction 'Day of Action'

02:45PM / Wednesday, June 24, 2026Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — On Saturday, June 27 and Sunday, June 28, 2026, community members will participate in Harm Reduction "Day of Action" across Berkshire County.

Following successful outreach projects this spring, workers will again go door to door to distribute lifesaving overdose prevention supplies, and to share resources and knowledge directly with residents in areas with higher ratios of opioid-related emergency 911 calls.

Staff from several Berkshire County public health agencies and substance use awareness groups will team up with community members to raise awareness of changes in the opioid and stimulant supply, particularly among people who use more recreationally. The initiative will also distribute naloxone and resource guides, help to connect individuals with support services, and combat the stigma surrounding substance use.

Outreach efforts will take place from noon to 4 pm on Saturday, June 27, in North Adams, and from noon to 4 pm on Sunday, June 28 in both Pittsfield and North Adams. Participants will have completed a mandatory training session and will carry identification and leave-behind materials with them.

The "Day of Action" is in partnership with the Berkshire Overdose and Addiction Prevention Collaborative (BOAPC) and Berkshire Harm Reduction. It aims to reduce overdoses and connect neighbors to vital resources.

This work is supported by a grant from the Mosaic Opioid Recovery Partnership and the town of Hancock, funded by the MA Department of Public Health, Bureau of Substance Addiction Services and powered by RIZE Massachusetts Foundation.

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Teacher of the Month: Nickole Halvorsen

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
05:21PM / Monday, August 31, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — For many students, kindergarten is their first experience in a school setting and the beginning of ongoing growth and change throughout their lives.

Kindergarten teacher Nickole Halvorsen strives to instill in her students the foundational academic and social-emotional skills they need to succeed not only in her classroom, but throughout their educational journey and beyond.

It is this dedication, along with the fun, safe and welcoming environment that students describe her as cultivating, that has earned her the iBerkshires.com Teacher of the Month designation.

The Teacher of the Month series, in collaboration with Berkshire Community College, features distinguished teachers nominated by community members. You can nominate a teacher here.

The end of the year was bittersweet for Halvorsen and her students as they said goodbye to Morningside Community School, which closed its doors for the final time in May.

"Now at the end of the year, it gets sad and a little more emotional, especially this year because this is our last year at Morningside," she said during her interview in May.

So, really focusing on coming in, being here, being present [and] consistent for them matters the most for me, and they make me want to be here. I want to have fun with them. I want to enjoy every last bit we can of being in the school building."

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