About Us
Meet the HDAAC
The Holliston Drug & Alcohol Awareness Coalition is a community-driven organization committed to reducing youth substance misuse in partnership with local individuals, businesses, and organizations. We do this with the support of a $625,000 federal grant, along with state, local, and neighboring town partnerships and dollars.
Our Mission: The Holliston Drug & Alcohol Awareness Coalition (HDAAC) strives to foster communication, collaboration, and support for the people of Holliston. We have a collective responsibility to reduce and prevent youth and adult substance misuse by providing resources and education.
Our Vision: We are a strong, healthy, and welcoming town that strengthens connections with one another, safeguards our people from the impact of substance misuse, and helps break the stigma of addiction.
About Us
The Holliston Drug & Alcohol Awareness Coalition (HDAAC) is a vital community initiative dedicated to reducing youth substance misuse in Holliston. Operating under Holliston Youth and Family Services (HYFS), the Coalition emphasizes collaboration among residents, businesses, and organizations to foster a supportive environment for prevention and education.
Founded in 2015 by Gina Stucci, a community member in recovery, HDAAC emerged from Gina’s personal experiences and a deep-seated commitment to addressing substance misuse. Her impactful speech during a local high school panel discussion inspired her to rally like-minded individuals, and since then, the Coalition has grown significantly, engaging diverse stakeholders to create a healthier community. Since then, Gina was also awarded 2024 Citizen of the Year!
In its earlier years, HDAAC secured grants from the MetroWest Foundation and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. These funds supported key initiatives such as a Vaping Awareness Campaign, Narcan trainings, educational presentations, and forums. The Coalition established both a Youth Peer Group and a Parent Support Group, and its efforts gained media coverage and increased access to Narcan in the community.
In 2022, HDAAC was one of only nine communities in Massachusetts to be awarded the Drug Free Communities (DFC) grant by the CDC. This five-year grant provides $125,000 annually, empowering the Coalition to deepen its efforts in reducing youth substance misuse and strengthening partnerships. Under the leadership of Zoe Moreau, who became a full-time coordinator in May 2023, HDAAC has continued to expand its reach and connect with both youth and adults.
HDAAC is built on 12 key sectors: businesses, civic/volunteer organizations, healthcare professionals, law enforcement, media, parents, religious organizations, schools, government, substance use organizations, youth, and youth serving organizations. All of these representatives come together to create the Coalition.
In addition, we also have three sub-committees and a Youth Action Team. Our Communications Sub-Committee focuses on our community engagement, education efforts, resources, and media presence. Our Policy Sub-Committee focuses on tracking and enhancing the town’s current ordinances and policies on substances like alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis. Our Data & Evaluation Sub-Committee focuses on the collection and analysis of data among our youth, parents, and overall community. And lastly, we have over a dozen youth at the High School engaged in our Youth Action Team, who will be creating and implementing initiatives in their school and community to promote wellness and spread awareness of substance misuse and related issues.
We specifically prioritizes youth involvement because we recognize that the voices of young people are essential in combating substance misuse. By addressing not only substance misuse, but also mental health and equity, HDAAC seeks to empower parents and youth, fostering a community-wide response to these critical issues. As the Coalition continues to bridge gaps between local organizations and enhance its collaborative efforts through ongoing education and community engagement, it remains committed to creating a safe, healthy, inclusive, and substance-free environment for all families in Holliston.
Fall
September – October
- Tabling at school events (open houses, football games, etc.)
- Tabling at community events (such as Celebrate Holliston)
- Recovery events
- Tough Topics Parent Workshops
In the fall, HDAAC utilizes the start of the new school year as a way to actively engage with the community through a variety of events. September is one of our busiest months, where we have the most facetime with families to share our message and resources. Through a series called Tough Topics we engage with parents in the community to tackle ways to help youth stay happy and healthy, and these workshops continue throughout the year. September is also Recovery month, which allows us to highlight our partnership and support for the recovery community.
Winter
November – February
- Remembrance Tree
- Stakeholder Retreat
- CADCA National Leadership Forum
While things slow down a little in the winter, some of HDAAC’s most vital work happens in this season! Our Remembrance Tree honors those in the town and nearby areas who have lost their lives to substance misuse. Our annual Stakeholder Retreat brings together as many community members as possible to develop our Action Plan for the year ahead. In February, coalition members and youth from our Youth Action Team head down to Washington, D.C. for the annual CADCA Leadership Forum to connect with coalitions from across the nation and the world, learning new best practices to strengthen our work and advocate for prevention funding on Capitol Hill.
Spring
March – May
- Tabling at school events (such as Art Saves Lives)
- Prom and graduation initiatives at the high school (drunk driving simulator, senior scholarships, etc.)
- Middle school partnerships and activities (such as the lawn-a-palooza)
- Mental Health Awareness Month initiatives & events
- Youth Action Team advocacy events at the State House
Spring is our busiest season, with May taking the lead as our most active and important month. Between the end of the school year and Mental Health Awareness Month, we put all our efforts into spreading awareness, sharing resources, and connecting with the community as the weather warms. You can also learn more about the YAT State House visits on their page here.
Summer
June – August
- Tabling at community and school events (such as Pride and the PTO back to school event)
- Training middle school students at the Jr. Police Academy
- Reporting and planning
The summer is a great slowing down point for HDAAC, but it doesn’t mean we shy away from tabling and training opportunities. While we use the summer to report on the year behind and plan for the year ahead, we also table at several events, lead narcan trainings, and conduct a training with the Jr. Police Academy students around refusal skills every year.
Our Funding
Drug Free Communities Grant
Our main source of funding is a federal $625,000 DFC grant from the CDC. This grant is $125,000 a year for 5 years from 2022-2027. After 5 years, we have the opportunity to extend it for another 5 years, for a maximum of 10 years. This funding is used to pay our Coordinator’s salary; travel to conferences/ trainings for the coordinator, coalition members, and youth; bring in speakers for youth, parents, and the community; and general supplies.
Opioid Settlement Funds
The Town of Holliston has received around $150,000 in opioid settlement dollars as of July 1, 2024. HDAAC continues to request a portion of these funds each year at May Town Meeting; allowing us to start each July 1st with $50,000. Currently, thousands of these dollars are directly given back to community members affected by the opioid crisis and addiction through the town’s Community Action Fund. The rest of the funds have been spent on harm reduction and education initiatives; such as Narcan kits and trainings. It is also important to note that additional settlement dollars are predicted to continue trickling down to Holliston until 2038.
Click here to learn more about opioids and how you can get involved with the funds!
MASSCALL3B Grant
Our neighboring town Hopkinton was awarded a grant until 2029 that is shared between a cluster of themselves, Holliston, Medway, Medfield, and Wayland. While we receive no direct dollars from Hopkinton, this collaboration increases our data collection and educational programing across the region.
Get Involved!
Sign Up for Our Newsletter!
Our monthly e-newsletter highlights resources, community engagement, youth engagement, communication data, our goals, and our meeting recaps. Find our newsletter archive here.
Attend Our Coalition Meetings
We meet monthly on the 2nd Thursday from 6:30-7:30 on Zoom. Email moreauz@holliston.k12.ma.us for the calendar invites and zoom link.
Join the Youth Action Team
Are you a Holliston High student passionate about leadership and making a difference in Holliston? Look no further! Join our Youth Action Team to start making a positive impact in your school and community! Join Here.
Learn More!
- Learn more about HDAAC here
- Check out the Holliston Reporter to read some of our articles
- Watch our PSA here
Get involved today!
Email HDAAC’s Coordinator, Zoe Moreau at moreauz@holliston.k12.ma.us