Mini-Grants

2026 Mini-Grant Recipient and Program Information

In November 2025, West Hartford Social Services and the West Hartford Prevention Partnership invited eligible organizations to apply for mini-grants to address the opioid crisis in the West Hartford community. These grants, funded by national opioid settlement funds, aim to support community-based initiatives focused on prevention, harm reduction, treatment access, and recovery support. We're pleased to announce the projects selected for 2026:

InsideARTside, LLC
Visionary Vision Book: Watercolor Pathways to Resilience 
A 10-week expressive arts program integrating Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) principles and Self-Management and Recovery Training (SMART) recovery-aligned tools to help youth build resilience, emotional regulation, and prevention-focused decision-making.

Jewish Family Services of Greater Hartford (JFS)
Community in Motion: A Seasonal Hiking Series with Lhakpa Sherpa and JFS
Join JFS for a nature-based hiking series designed to promote emotional wellness, resilience, and community for those in recovery or those simply seeking connection. Led by Lhakpa Sherpa, a renowned climber who has summited Everest 10 times, the program will help participants explore inner strength, restore confidence, and experience the healing power of the seasons through themes of resilience, hope, and thriving. We will begin and end each walk with a mindfulness practice and the opportunity to learn from Lhakpa. All hikes are free and open to adults in our community. For more information, visit jfshartford.org.

West Hartford Community of Concern (CC)
Supporting Youth in a Digital World 
A three-part education series for parents and caregivers. The program aims to reduce youth substance misuse by targeting upstream digital risk factors, including online influence, social pressure, anxiety, and exposure to substance-use content. The series is designed to engage families across the entire school-age continuum, from elementary through high school, acknowledging that digital risks and substance exposure now begin earlier and change across developmental stages. For more information, visit https://communityofconcernwh.wordpress.com/.

Mandell Jewish Community Center (JCC)
Hope in Recovery
A series of programs planned for Mental Health month that will promote a recovery lifestyle and self-care, provide prevention and awareness for teens, and coordinate local collaboration with Jewish clergy for addictions. Planned sessions include an art program for women, a coed recovery afternoon featuring massage and acupuncture, and a HOPE bracelet-making program for teens. For more information, visit mandelljcc.org.

Mental Health Hub at Westminster Presbyterian Church (WPC)
Addressing Root Causes and Solutions: The Science and Psychology of Opioid Misuse and Prevention 
A symposium focused on the science, psychology, and the role that Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) play and link to substance misuse, including opioid dependency. The goal is to provide parents, caregivers, and youth-serving community volunteers/mentors in West Hartford with the knowledge and tools to identify the impacts of trauma and actively build resilience in youth.