Grow Food to offer free haircuts, supplies at Meadowbrook
FLORENCE — Grow Food Northampton will host its second annual free back-to-school event Wednesday, Aug. 19, from 4 to 6 p.m. at Meadowbrook Apartments, 491 Bridge Road.
The event, held alongside GFN’s weekly Free Mobile Farmers Market, is a collaboration with Coy Salon, Forbes Library, Early Childhood Center and Cancer Connection. Organizers will offer free haircuts, school supplies, clothing, food and community resources to Meadowbrook families.
GFN runs free mobile farmers markets weekly at nine low-income housing sites in Northampton and Florence from May through November, pairing produce distribution with access to other community services.
“Whether it be haircuts, library books, transportation access, or clinics on-site at the markets, it’s really cool to see what’s possible to make accessible to families, at no cost, when we work together,” Juju Carpenter, GFN’s food access and communications manager, said in a statement.
Since 2020, GFN has distributed nearly 3 million pounds of produce and other products from local farms, serving 3,300 individuals and 1,200 families facing food insecurity.
Registration underway for 5K Summit Run
HADLEY — The 5K Summit Run will return Sunday, Sept. 20, at 9:30 a.m., starting at the foot of Old Mountain Road.
Sponsored by the Sugarloaf Mountain Athletic Club, the race climbs 800 feet to the summit of Mount Holyoke in Skinner State Park, finishing at the historic Summit House. Runners will head up Old Mountain Road to the park gate, turn right for 0.4 miles, then turn around and continue through the gate and up Skinner State Park Road to the finish.
Water and other refreshments will be available at mile 2 and at the finish. Rat Race Timing will provide instant results.
Overall and age-group winners will receive an Atkins Farms apple pie, sponsored by Fee Only Financial Planning.
Registration is $35 through Aug. 31 and includes a T-shirt. The price rises to $40 starting Sept. 1, and race-day registration is $45.
A portion of proceeds will benefit the Kestrel Land Trust’s local conservation work.
To register, visit raceroster.com/events/2026/138415/summit-run-5k.
Care Center preps for annual rowing regatta
HOLYOKE — The Care Center’s 26th annual Rowing Strong, Rowing Together Young Parents Regatta will take place Saturday, Aug. 22, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Holyoke Rows Boathouse, 25 Jones Ferry Road. A rain date is set for Sunday, Aug. 23.
The family-friendly event, free and open to the public, will include boat races, cotton candy and face painting.
The regatta caps Rowing Strong, Rowing Together, a regional program developed by The Care Center and Mount Holyoke College that pairs community boathouses with agencies supporting young mothers. The program has received national recognition for its impact. This year’s participating teams include young mothers from Holyoke, Springfield, Chelsea and Hartford, Connecticut, with more than 100 spectators expected.
The Care Center, based in Holyoke, provides educational programs for young mothers and other women facing systemic barriers, including high school equivalency preparation, college coursework, an on-site associate degree program, and support services such as transportation, meals, childcare and counseling. The organization received a Presidential Award in 2011 for its approach.
DA seeking volunteers for restorative justice program
NORTHAMPTON — The Northwestern District Attorney’s Office is seeking volunteers for its restorative justice program, run in partnership with Communities for Restorative Justice (C4RJ).
The program diverts certain cases from the traditional court system into a restorative justice process, in which victims and other affected parties help determine how harm can be repaired through community service, apologies, restitution and other practices. Cases may be dismissed upon successful completion. The partnership has operated in Hampshire County since 2020 and expanded to Franklin County this year.
C4RJ, a volunteer-driven organization, is recruiting new volunteers to work online and in person in both counties. Training will consist of four Zoom sessions Sept. 26 and 27, from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. each day.
Those interested can attend a one-hour Zoom information session Aug. 13 at noon or visit c4rj.org/join-us/volunteers. To RSVP or ask questions, email Assistant Case Manager Julia Parham at jparham@c4rj.org.