Light in the Longest Season: How Community and Connection Supported Essex County Residents This Winter

Written By Laura Vargas

At Peer Support Community Partners (PSCP), we know that the holiday season doesn't always feel like a celebration. For those grieving a loved one lost to substance use or the complexities of life on the margins, these months can feel like a vast, cold landscape to navigate.

Through a generous grant from Essex County Outreach (ECO), we were able to host three distinct events this winter. Led by Melissa Lezynski, our Peer Grief Support Specialist for the SADOD (Support After a Death by Overdose) Project, these gatherings served as "anchors" of connection for the Essex County community.

1. Restoring Hope: The Luminary & Craft Gathering

November 15, 2025 | Gloucester Fraternity Club Our first event focused on restoration. Following severe rainstorms that damaged the region's symbolic luminary bags, we partnered with Kathy Day of Luminaries and Love to repair them. Approximately 50 community members—including many of our unhoused neighbors—worked side-by-side to restore the luminaries and create personal memory boxes.

2. A Gift of Remembrance: Tabletop Trees at CORE

December 6, 2025 | CORE Recovery, Gloucester Over two dozen adults and children joined us to build tabletop Christmas trees with guidance from Audrey’s Flower Shop. These "small offerings of remembrance" were adorned with lights and angel toppers, designed to stay with families through both the noisy holiday moments and the quiet, difficult nights.

3. The Longest Night: A Solstice Vigil

December 21, 2025 | Winter Solstice We concluded our series on the Winter Solstice. With reflections from Reverend David on the dignity of all lives, we placed red and white roses with intention. Amidst flickering candlelight, we stood in shared witness to lives that mattered deeply and still do.

Support Beyond the Gatherings: Tailored Peer Care

While our community events provided a space for collective healing, we know that grief also happens in the quiet hours at home. As part of this grant initiative, PSCP extended tailored peer grief support directly to Essex County residents navigating deaths due to substance-related causes.

Recognizing that everyone’s journey is unique, Melissa Lezynski provided personalized outreach that met residents exactly where they were. This included:

  • One-on-One Connection: Compassionate support through phone calls and in-person visits.

  • Personal Touches: Handwritten letters and customized care packages designed to offer comfort and a reminder that no one has to walk this path alone.

This individualized care ensured that even those who weren't ready for a group setting still felt the embrace of a community that understands their specific pain.

Why This Matters

The Essex County Outreach grant allowed us to lower barriers, validate lived experience, and build resilience. By combining large-scale community events with intimate, one-on-one peer support, we are ensuring that every resident bereaved by loss has a place to turn.

We extend our deepest gratitude to ECO and all our community partners for helping us prove that in Essex County, no one has to walk the path of grief alone.

Join Our Community

If you are seeking support or want to learn more about our peer-led grief initiatives:


Laura Vargas
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