Mayor Domenic J. Sarno and Health & Human Services (HHS) Commissioner Helen Caulton-Harris announced the city’s Opioid Recovery and Remediation Fund (ORRF) Mini-Grant Program awardees today.
This past fall, the Springfield Department of Health and Human Services introduced the ORRF Mini-Grant Program, designed to support community-based organizations across Springfield. The ORRF Mini-Grant awardees are:
- Women of Color Health Equity Collective ($50,000)
- CSO ($50,000)
- Roca, Inc. ($50,000)
- MOCHA ($50,000)
- Follow My Steps Foundation ($50,000)
- Springfield Partners for Community Action ($50,000)
- Hispanic American Library Inc ($50,000)
- IOCC ($50,000)
- Black Behavioral Health Network Incorporated ($50,000)
- Springfield Pride Parade Organization ($50,000)
- Strong Young Minds Youth Development ($50,000)
- Michael J. Dias Foundation ($20,000)
- Hampden County Deputy Sheriff’s Charitable Foundation ($20,000)
- Travis Best Foundation ($20,000)
- Families Against Violence ($20,000)
The overarching goal of the ORRF Mini-Grant Program is to enhance and expand prevention initiatives that work upstream to reduce the prevalence of opioid use disorders (OUD) while complementing ongoing harm reduction, treatment, and recovery services. By focusing on prevention, the program aims to:
- Reduce burdens on individuals and families, allowing people to remain employed, contribute to the economy, and support their loved ones.
- Strengthen the community’s social fabric by fostering positive social connections and creating supportive networks that build resilience.
- Engage youth and families where they live, learn, and play, helping young people avoid OUD and remain on a path toward a healthier, more successful future—ultimately strengthening the community’s human capital.
- Strengthen the opioid use disorder continuum from prevention to recovery.
Investing in neighborhood-focused services and neighborhood-based organizations ensures that prevention efforts reflect the unique needs, lived experiences, and cultures of the people they serve. This locality-based approach creates a foundation for more impactful and sustainable outcomes by meeting residents where they live, learn, work, and play.
“First off, thank you to our DHHS team and all our partners for the lifesaving and touching work they do,” stated Mayor Sarno. “Congratulations to each of the fifteen ORRF mini-grant awardees, many we have a history of working closely with to address the needs of our community. Unfortunately, we all have or know of a family member or friend that has been affected by the scourge of opioids. Some beat it but some do not. I am grateful to Health and Human Services commissioner Helen Caulton-Harris, my dedicated city team, Sheriff Nick Cocchi, and all of our community partners for their continued unyielding efforts in working together to help those get the treatment and resources they need to heal from this opioid situation.”
“This ongoing public health crisis has left a trail of negative impacts; not only for those personally afflicted with Opioid Use Disorder, but also their families, and the wider community,” Health and Human Services Commissioner Helen Caulton-Harris said. “Alongside our dedicated non-profit partners, through the ORRF Mini-Grant Program we will continue working to promote healthier, more resilient communities. We remain committed to inclusive, effective, evidence-based methods to save lives and improve conditions for those impacted by the opioid crises. It is a tall order, but ultimately the goal of this work is to save lives, prevent further harm, and strengthen the community’s human capital. I am confident in each of the awardees’ devotion to bettering our Springfield and ability to deliver successful outcomes.”
The ORRF Mini-Grant Program focuses on CDBG-Eligible Block Group neighborhoods, as defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development — areas with limited opportunities that require targeted investments in education, housing, economic development, and infrastructure. These targeted investments are essential to addressing the social and economic challenges that contribute to opioid use disorders and related disparities.
Of the twenty applicants, fifteen were awarded an ORRF mini-grant, with $630,000 total funds awarded under this round of the program. The applicants who received funding were selected by a review committee. The review committee consisted of five individuals who provided oversight.
“The damage inflicted by the opioid crisis to Springfield’s most precious resource, our residents, has been tremendous and will continue to take Herculean efforts from the city, nonprofits, our community partners and stakeholders to repair,” Mayor Sarno explained. “I want to thank former Attorney General, now Governor Maura Healey for her leadership and efforts in holding these pharmaceutical companies accountable for contributing to this opioid crisis. Special thanks to Commissioner Helen Caulton-Harris and her team for working closely with a variety of stakeholders to gather critical information and administering this much needed program.”
More About the Opioid Recovery and Remediation Fund
The Opioid Recovery and Remediation Fund (ORRF) was established in 2020 to manage funds from legal settlements with companies connected to the opioid crisis. The Springfield Department of Health and Human Services (SDHHS) will receive a multi-year settlement to invest in substance use prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery.
The purpose of these investments is to save lives, promote health equity, and address the root causes of opioid use disorders (OUD) by building a sustainable and coordinated network of care and resources for Springfield residents.
To ensure that funding priorities reflect the community’s most pressing needs, SDHHS led a year-long community needs assessment (2023–2024), engaging residents, stakeholders, and individuals with lived experience.
Through this process, SDHHS established a Request for Proposals (RFP) process to distribute ORRF funds to local organizations, with the goal to enhance Springfield’s recovery ecosystem, strengthening networks and partnerships while creating effective, sustainable pathways for individuals seeking treatment and recovery.
The first round of awards, released in Spring 2025, provided funding to Tapestry Health, Gandara, and New North Citizens Council to support multi-year programming in Springfield.
These projects focus on:
