Great Barrington Family Resource Center

10/05/2026

🌲 Final Family Hike of the Year! 🌲

Join the Great Barrington Family Resource Center for our final Family Hike of the year at the W.E.B. Du Bois Homesite!

📅 Friday, October 23rd
🕔 5:00–7:00 PM
📍 W.E.B. Du Bois Homesite
612 South Egremont Road, Great Barrington, MA

Take a walk through the Interpretive Trail, a wide, wood-chip path winding through a beautiful cathedral of pine trees. Along the way, we’ll visit the 1969 commemorative boulder and the foundation of the original family homestead, where Du Bois’s ancestors farmed on the edge of the Egremont Plain.

The self-guided trail shares the story of W.E.B. Du Bois’s journey from rural New England to the world stage and the efforts to recognize his remarkable life and legacy.

🍂 Come enjoy the fall scenery, spend some time outdoors with your family, and explore an important piece of local history with us!
Please bring water and wear comfortable shoes. There are currently no restroom facilities at the Homesite.

Registration is required.
📞 (413) 528-0298
📧 [email protected]

We hope you’ll join us for our last Family Hike of 2026! 💚

10/05/2026

The Great Barrington Family Resource Center is proud to host Community Care Sessions, facilitated by Railroad Street Youth Project (RSYP) and the Southern Berkshire Rural Health Network (SBRHN).

These sessions offer a supportive, peer-to-peer space where parents can connect, share experiences, and learn how to help children and friends make difficult decisions about substance use.

A trained facilitator will guide parents through a pro-social, preventive approach to supporting youth and engaging in serious conversations about substance use without judgment.

📅 Upcoming Sessions:
• Tuesday, October 6th
• Tuesday, November 10th
• Tuesday, December 1st
• Tuesday, February 2nd
• Tuesday, March 2nd
• Tuesday, April 6th

⏰ 5:30–7:30 PM
📍 Great Barrington Family Resource Center
141 West Ave., Great Barrington

Questions or want more information? Contact Laura Rodriguez at [email protected].

Come connect with other parents and build tools for supporting the young people in your life.

10/02/2026

Welcome to CSO's Great Barrington Family Resource Center (FRC)!
Great Barrington FRC is here to support caregivers and families with children (0-18).
All our offerings are FREE:
✅ Family activities & playgroups
✅ Parent support & workshops
✅ Youth programs & community connections
📍 Located in Great Barrington, MA
🌟 Open to all families and caregivers
Each month, we share our calendar of events—check back often and join us!

09/11/2026

🤝 Thank You for Making Our Family Resource Fair a Success! 🤝

A huge thank you to everyone who came out to our 2026 Great Barrington Family Resource Fair! We couldn’t have asked for better weather, and it was wonderful to see so many families enjoying the afternoon together. ☀️

A special thank you to Bowey The Magic Clown for putting on such a great show and keeping everyone entertained! 🎈🤡 The beautiful face painting from Magic Brushes Face Painting added an extra special touch and brought so many smiles! 🎨✨

And, of course, a big thank you to Los Lopez taco truck—those tacos were SO delicious! 🌮😋

We’re also incredibly grateful to all of the community organizations and providers who joined us and shared their programs, resources, and services with local families. Events like this are only possible because of the amazing people who show up for our community.
Thank you for spending part of your Saturday with us—we hope you had as much fun as we did! 🎉

Until next year!

09/10/2026

📣 Come Find Us Out in the Community This September! 📣

The Great Barrington Family Resource Center is hitting the road! We’ll be tabling at several different community events throughout September, and we’d love to see you there!

Come visit our table, say hello, grab some FRC giveaways, learn more about our free programs and services, and sign up for our newsletter! 🎉

📅 Find us at these upcoming events:

🤝 Smash the Stigma
Saturday, September 12 | 11 AM– 4 PM
Town Hall Park, 334 Main St., Great Barrington

🎪 Lee Youth Association Family Fun Day
Saturday, September 19 | 11 AM–2 PM
Lee Athletic Field, 120 Housatonic St., Lee

🌎 Festival Latino of the Berkshires
Saturday, September 26 | 12–6 PM
Town Hall Park, 334 Main St., Great Barrington

We love being part of our community and look forward to connecting with families throughout the month. Come find us and say hi!

All FRC programs and services are free for families.

08/24/2026

🌮🎉 They're Back! Welcome Back, Los Lopez Taco Truck! 🎉🌮

We're excited to welcome Los Lopez Taco Truck back to our Annual Family Resource Fair! They joined us two years ago, and we're so happy to have them back for another year of family fun and community connection. ❤️

Take a break from exploring local resources, enjoying the activities, watching the magic show, and getting your face painted to grab some delicious food from Los Lopez Taco Truck!

🌮 Come hungry and support this wonderful local business while you're enjoying the fair!

📅 Saturday, August 29th
🕚 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
📍 141 West Avenue, Great Barrington, MA 01230

The event is FREE and open to all families, with food available for purchase from Los Lopez.

We're so excited to have them back—come say hello and enjoy some tacos with us! 🌮❤️

08/03/2026

⛳ 𝗧𝗲𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗨𝗽 𝗛𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆

Thanks to the incredible generosity of 148 golfers, our sponsors, volunteers, raffle donors, and supporters, this year's Friends of the Homeless Golf Tournament raised approximately $50,000 to support shelter, housing, meals, and critical supportive services for individuals experiencing homelessness.

A special thank you to our Gold Sponsors, Anderson Cleaning and Genoa Healthcare as well as our additional sponsors HUB International, Webber and Grinnell Insurance, an Alera Group Company, PeoplesBank, Wellfleet, TD, Springfield Thunderbirds, Locklin Construction, Quality Fleet Service, Inc., and many others.

We hope you enjoy a few highlights from a fantastic day on the course. Thank you for swinging into action to help end homelessness!

08/03/2026

𝗛𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 #𝟭. 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴.

This past Friday, we celebrated the opening of CSO's new 775 Worthington Street permanent supportive housing community in .

Permanent supportive housing is more than an apartment. It combines the stability of a permanent home with ongoing care, recovery support, nursing, and housing services—giving people experiencing chronic homelessness the foundation and support they need to build healthier, more stable lives.

Special thanks to Congressman Richard Neal, City of Springfield, MA - Office of Communications, Mayor Desarno , Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities, Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation (CEDAC), Massachusetts Housing & Shelter Alliance as well as Stratford Capital Group, TD, Valley Community Development, and our many community partners.

Full Coverage from MassLive:
https://www.masslive.com/business/2026/07/community-support-options-opens-36-new-supportive-housing-units.html

08/03/2026

A ribbon was cut in Greenfield, and a new chapter begins in supportive housing.

Last Wednesday, we celebrated the opening of CSO's new Friends of the Homeless campus at 60 Wells Street in — bringing together emergency shelter, 36 permanent supportive housing apartments, and integrated support services under one roof.

Thank you to everyone who helped make this vision a reality, especially our funding partners, community supporters, and the many people whose dedication brought this project to life. We look forward to welcoming our first residents and shelter guests in the weeks ahead.

Special thanks to Congressman Jim McGovern, City of Greenfield Mayor Ginny Desorgher, Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities, Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation (CEDAC), Massachusetts Housing & Shelter Alliance as well as Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston, Stratford Capital Group, Greenfield Savings Bank, Valley Community Development, and our many community partners.

Full Coverage from the The Greenfield Recorder:
https://recorder.com/2026/07/29/greenfield-shelter-ribbon-cutting/

07/02/2026

CSO President & CEO Karin Jeffers has been re-elected to a second term as Region 1 Director on the National Council for Mental Wellbeing Board of Directors.

A longtime advocate for community behavioral health, Karin has consistently championed increased government funding to strengthen the behavioral health workforce and expand access to mental health and substance use treatment.

We're proud to see her continue representing and New England alongside fellow behavioral health leaders from across the country. Congratulations, Karin!

Meet the New Board Leadership at the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, committed to advancing community mental health efforts.

06/30/2026

☀️ An Extreme Heat Warning is in Effect ☀️

CSO wants you and your family to stay safe and comfortable during this week's forecasted temperatures.

Extreme heat doesn't just affect physical health—it can also impact behavioral health by contributing to stress, irritability, poor sleep, and worsening symptoms for those living with mental health challenges. Staying cool and hydrated can make a meaningful difference for both your body and your mind.

If you or someone you know needs relief from the heat, cooling centers are available throughout the region.

📍 Find a cooling center near you:
https://www.413cares.org/warming-cooling-centers

During periods of extreme heat:
💧 Drink plenty of water.
🧊 Spend time in air-conditioned spaces when possible.
☀️ Limit outdoor activity during the hottest part of the day.
🤝 Check in on older adults, neighbors, friends, and anyone who may be more vulnerable to the heat.

06/29/2026

A special thank you to our incredible partners at Cradles to Crayons Massachusetts for their generous donation of new clothing items and hygiene supplies for CSO clients and families.

These essential items provide more than everyday necessities—they offer comfort, dignity, and confidence during challenging times.

--
𝗪𝗔𝗡𝗧 𝗧𝗢 𝗛𝗘𝗟𝗣? To coordinate a donation effort or confirm current needs, please email [email protected]. See less

06/17/2026

A new Massachusetts study found that anxiety-related pediatric primary care visits increased by 300% over the last decade, highlighting a growing need for mental health support for children and families.

Read the full Boston University School of Public Health story:
https://www.bu.edu/sph/news/articles/2026/anxiety-related-pediatric-primary-care-visits-rose-300-over-decade-in-massachusetts/

At CSO, we see that need every day.

Through our Family Support Services teams, we provide trauma-informed, family-centered supports designed to help children and families succeed at home, in school, and in their communities.

Early support can make a lasting difference.

Learn more: https://www.csoinc.org/family-support-services

A new study found that children’s visits to the doctor for all mental health conditions increased from 2014 to 2023 in the commonwealth. Visits related to anxiety represented the largest increase, and ADHD was the most common condition addressed during these visits.

06/08/2026

June is Pride Month—a time to celebrate authenticity, community, and belonging.

This month, we're sharing a few facts about LGBTQIA+ and the importance of affirming relationships, supportive environments, and equitable access to evidence-based .

𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗢𝗞 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝘀𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽.

If you or someone you know could benefit from mental health supports, substance use recovery services, or crisis stabilization, visit https://www.CSOinc.org/locations to find your nearest CSO location.

05/27/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us for CSO’s 24th Annual Mental Health & Wellness Fair at Energy Park last week.

Organized by the members of our Green River House and Quabbin House Clubhouse programs, this year’s fair brought together more than 40 organizations, service providers, artists, musicians, and community members in support of mental health, wellness, and connection.

Along with a few Paul Franz photos from tThe Greenfield Recorder’s coverage of the event, here are some additional moments captured throughout the day.

Feel free to tag yourself, your organization, or others who joined us!

Read the Recorder story here:
https://recorder.com/2026/05/27/cso-annual-mental-health-fair-2/

05/23/2026

Being there for someone through a difficult moment can include helping them connect to support.

This , consider taking time to learn about local resources near you.