For volunteer opportunities and other announcements not tied to a single specific time and date, you are in the right place here at the Bulletin Board. Please email your Bulletin Board announcements to bulletinboard@actonexchange.org. (For what’s happening today or tomorrow or on any specific day, see the Calendar. Or use the calendar menu item on the website. Please email your Calendar events to calendar@actonexchange.org.)
ABForward final geographic scenarios
Be prepared by viewing the Video Explainer, the Slides, and the Flex Zone FAQs before the April 9 School Committee meeting.
Visit these pages at: AB Forward link
Recent government communiques
Acton’s Economic Development director provides a list of Acton businesses. Yes, you might have to leave your house, but you’re also helping to support your local economy!
From the Town:
From the Schools:
April AB Forward Update and Survey
March 20 Superintendent’s Update
Jan. 20 AB Forward Wellness Resources for Families
Acton Parks & Recreation Survey is available now
This is your opportunity to help shape the future of Acton Parks and Recreation. We are working to build programs, events, and experiences that truly reflect what our community wants. Your input makes all the difference.
Whether it’s youth sports, fitness, arts, STEM, adventure programming, special events, or something brand new, we’re listening! The survey only takes a few minutes to complete and all responses are confidential. This is your chance to have a direct impact on the direction of Acton Parks and Recreation. Let’s build something great together, we can’t wait to hear your ideas!
Please fill out the Survey Here
NARA Summer Camp
Offering swimming, sports, and arts and crafts programs based on weekly themes from June 29 through August 28. Camp runs weekdays 8 a.m.-4 p.m. daily, with before and after programs starting at 7:30 a.m. and ending at 5:30 p.m.
For more information visit: https://actonma.myrec.com
Sustainability Office outreach for multifamily buildings
Acton residents are advised that authorized representatives from the Town’s Sustainability Office will be visiting multifamily residential buildings on weekdays throughout the months of April and May. The outreach aims to share information about energy efficiency and clean energy programs that can help reduce costs through state and utility incentives. Representatives will carry official identification, and participation is voluntary. For more information, residents can contact the Sustainability Office at 978-929-6515 or sustainability@acton-ma.gov.
Kelley’s Corner Update
Work scheduled for the week:
WEEK of 4/6
• Backfill curb and grade sidewalks
• Excavate medians
• Install wire and install light poles
• Install landscaping
For more information visit https://www.acton-ma.gov/742/Kelleys-Corner-Construction-Updates or manager@actonma.gov (978) 929-6611
Acton Nature Watch
In the coming month, watch and listen for vernal pool activity: adult frogs and salamanders preparing to breed; owls feasting on hatchlings; blooming spice- and shad-bushes; tree swallows return before mid-April; and mason bees’ and ants’ first emergence mid-April. Keep us posted! Submit your observations and photos to actonnaturewatch@gmail.com
Acton Clean-up Week
April 17-27, 2026
ACTON CLEAN-UP WEEK, sponsored by Green Acton, is a chance to pick up litter and remove invasive garlic mustard plants. See ActonCleanup.info to sign up. Free orange trash bags are available at Acton Memorial Library in the Solarium. Disposal of these bags is free at Acton Transfer Station.
iNaturalist BioBlitz
April 24-May 4
The sixth annual BioBlitz, “Nature of Acton and Boxborough 2026, starts April 24 and runs through May 4. Sign up at the iNaturalist app on any smartphone, on the “Projects” page.
Help us photograph, document and celebrate the amazing flora, fauna, and fungi in our towns. Wildlife ecologists monitor and confirm citizen scientists’ observations off the app and use confirmed sightings and data in their research.
Data entered between April 24 and 27 are automatically credited to Greater Boston’s tally in the international City Nature Challenge, so help the Olde Towne compete with sister cities around the world. Who in Acton or Boxborough will document the most species?
For the past five years, it has been Rob Gogan, compiler of the Acton Exchange Nature Watch. He would like nothing better than to see a crop of new entrants challenge his count of 182 species identified in 2025. Last year the BioBlitz had 23 Acton and Boxborough observers who saw 404 species. Let’s beat those marks!
The Swap Shop
The Swap Shop, located at the Acton Transfer Station, needs more volunteers!
We are open May through October, Tuesday through Saturday, and volunteers pick their own hours.
The Shop’s goal is to reduce trash by putting perfectly good items into the hands of those who can use them.
We’d love to have more volunteers so we can be open for more hours.
Will you have a few hours this year to help keep good things out of the trash?
Here is the Town of Acton link to the Swap Shop Program: http://www.actonma.gov/507/Swap-Shop
All volunteers for the Town of Acton are screened by the HR department and need to complete an online ethics training.
Please contact Debby Andell if you would like the HR forms and/or more information – debbyandell@gmail.com
Learn about integrated pest management
GOT MICE? Learn how to exclude them before any more move in!
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health toolkit shows building managers and homeowners how to implement Integrated Pest Management (IPM). IPM practice favors sealing up and excluding rodents from entry points around your house. See this 1-minute YouTube video for how to do this.
For more information about making Acton less friendly to pests but safer for our raptors, attend Green Acton’s Biodiversity Committee meeting the third Thursday of every month at 7 PM. For information about the agenda and how to connect, email biodiversity-contact@greenacton.org.
Access to food and groceries in the Acton area
Food pantries and community organizations in or near Acton continue to provide access to food and groceries for those in need.
For up-to-date details on available programs and more resources, visit here or contact the Community Services Office at (978) 929-6651, or at lducharme@actonma.gov.
Acton Food Pantry
The Acton Food Pantry has been providing food for residents in need in Acton, Boxborough, and surrounding towns since 1984. It typically serves 350 families per week and relies heavily on volunteers.
Student Volunteer Team Week – April Vacation
Grab a friend or two and volunteer! It’s a great way to meet new people while helping out the community.
Tuesday: 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m. (includes orientation and tour)
Wednesday-Friday: 12:45 p.m.-4 p.m.
Five student positions are still available. Students must attend all 4 days. Registration deadline is Thursday, 4/16.
Contact StudentVolunteering@householdgoods.org for details and for the form.
The Acton Food Pantry Chef Challenge Fundraiser will run online from April 1-14 and hosts over 100 items donated from area businesses and community members to bid on.
See our list of sponsors, auction items, and other event information on our webpage www.chefchallenge.org.
Volunteers needed. Current needs include:
- Adults who have flexibility to volunteer for daytime shifts, particularly on Wednesdays.
- People who might be interested in helping with Saturday morning pickups at Stop & Shop or Trader Joe’s.
- Fluent Portuguese speakers to help us better serve our Brazilian client population.
Although these are specific needs, we welcome any potential volunteer, as we always need a large roster of substitutes and have a variety of opportunities.
If you are interested in volunteering, please complete a preliminary application on the Pantry website here or email Cathy at Cathy@actonfoodpantry.org.
Pet food needed
The Acton Food Pantry desperately needs dry and canned dog and cat food. Smaller bags are better so more can be distributed to every family in need.
The following information and more can be found at www.actonfoodpantry.org/food.
Donations can be delivered directly to Acton Food Pantry at the following times:
- Monday from 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
- Tuesday from 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
- Thursday from 12:00 n.-2:00 p.m.
- Friday from 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
Please note we cannot accommodate drop-offs on Wednesdays when we are open. Please see the calendar on the home page for open/close times.
If you are unable to bring your donations at those times, please call us at 978-635-9295 and we will arrange another time with you. Donations can also be dropped into the drop boxes at the locations listed at the website. Or easier yet, donate via our Amazon Wish List!
YV Art Museum opens exhibition
As the snow begins to melt, our gallery is coming to life with new energy.
Artist Stacey Piwinski, along with her invited friends and students, has been working on site, happily weaving an immersive fiber installation for the upcoming exhibition The Collective in our Downstairs Gallery. The exhibition is open to visitors through July 25, 2026.
The museum, administered by Contemporary Arts International (CAI), is a non-profit, 501c3 tax-exempt organization located in its 10-acre art grounds in Acton MA.
The mission of CAI is to promote the creation, understanding, and appreciation of contemporary arts in the global context.
Visit us at
www.yvartmuseum.org or
www.contemporaryartinternational.org.
Childcare Scholarships
The Town of Acton has dedicated $30,000 to offer a child care subsidy program for the remainder of the 2025-2026 school year.
This new Childcare Subsidy Program is made possible through Article 5, approved at the 2025 Annual Town Meeting. The program is designed to reduce financial barriers by helping eligible families afford childcare while pursuing employment, education, training, or job search activities.
Eligible families may receive up to $2,000 per household to cover childcare or after-school care costs for children ages 13 and under. Funds may be used at EEC-licensed childcare providers, the Acton Recreation “No School Days” program, or the Extended Day program through Community Education.
Subsidies are available on a first-come, first-served basis to families with household incomes at or below 80% of Area Median Income (AMI). Approved funds will be paid directly to the childcare provider. Applications will remain open until June 30 or until the funds run out.
To view the application, Click Here.
If you have questions about the program or application, please contact the Community Services Office at (978) 929-6651 or lducharme@actonma.gov.
Transfer Station Styrofoam Recycling
Recycle bulky styrofoam (polystyrene, #6 PS) at the Acton DPW is available one day a month from 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. A transfer station sticker is required to participate.
For information on specific dates and requirements, visit https://www.acton-ma.gov/m/newsflash/Home/Detail/1873 or call (978) 929-7742.
First Episode of Our Tax Dollars at Work series on Acton TV
The Acton Microburst – Onset of Chaos – Episode 1 of Our Tax Dollars at Work is now available on demand at Acton TV. This five-part series, created by Acton residents Greg Jarboe, John Petersen, and Sahana Purohit, explores how Acton’s town services handle emergencies and how our tax dollars are put to work.
In the first episode, you hear directly from Select Board member Dean Charter, Acton resident Sharon Tchon Gruet, Sergeant Keith Campbell of the Acton Police Department, Dispatch Supervisor Brendan Gray, Assistant Highway Superintendent Jason Kidder, and Tree Warden Ryan Hunt. Together, they walk you through how calls came in, how information flowed, and how crews made split-second decisions that protected residents and restored safety after the September 8, 2023 microburst that tore through Acton just as schools were letting out.
Acton Community Ed enriches summer
Community Ed offers a wide variety of programs during the summer. Our Summer Day Program (SDP) is offered Monday-Friday from 8:45 a.m.-3:45 p.m. with the option to enroll in morning and afternoon extended hours. We also offer a wide variety of half- and full-day programs.
The program is open to students who will enter grades 1-6 in August 2026 and who are registered to attend school in the Acton-Boxborough Regional School District. You can learn more about the Summer Day Program and register online via our SDP page.
Information regarding our other offerings will be posted when we know the space that will be available for summer 2026.
Sign up for our email list to get regular updates about upcoming classes and summer offerings when they are posted, or reach out to us at ceregistrar@abschools.org with any questions.
Household Goods
Can you help people in need make a home?
We urgently need volunteers to help in a number of ways:
Thursday and Saturday afternoons help is greatly needed to load furniture onto our clients’ trucks. Haven’t volunteered yet? Sign up for a new volunteer orientation. Find out more or register here.
For more information, please go to: https://www.householdgoods.org/volunteering/
or email to volunteer at: volunteercoordinator@actonfoodpantry.org
Pop in at the Prom Pop-up
The Acton Boxborough Resource Center, located at 15 Charter Road, is hosting a Prom Pop-up. Dresses of many styles and sizes, suits, shoes, and jewelry are available for your prom-going pleasure. Everything is free.
April dates are: Monday, April 13, open until 3:00 p.m. (Early release day for the high school) and Wednesday, April 15, open until 7:00 p.m.
For more information email abrc@abccompass.org or call (978) 245-7665.
Acton Sustainability Office
The mission of the Sustainability Office is to pursue and promote actions that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, prioritize climate-resilient infrastructure and spaces, enhance nature-based solutions, and advance the community toward a clean and equitable energy future. The office was created in response to the Town Meeting resolution declaring a “Climate Emergency: A Better Future Starting Now,” passed on September 8, 2020, with an overwhelming margin of support.
The Sustainability Office works closely with Energize Acton, a collaboration between the Acton Climate Coalition and the Town that works to bring net Town-wide carbon emissions to zero as quickly as possible, with a target date of 2030.
Are you subscribed to our monthly newsletter? Please click here to subscribe or email sustainability@actonma.gov to be added to the email list. Click here to view past newsletters.
Visit us at: https://www.acton-ma.gov/723/Sustainability
Weekly Pickleball community social events
When:Every Saturday from 4 p.m.-6 p.m.
Where: Acton Racquet Club (Court #6), 10 Granite Rd.
Email: paddleuppickledown@gmail.com
TeamReach Code (iPhone and Android): Paddle-002
Whether you’re picking up a paddle for the first time or perfecting your serve, we have a spot for you! Join our weekly pickleball social clinics at the Acton Racquet Club. Hold your spot here.
For more information, email paddleuppickledown@gmail.com or connect with us on the Team Reach app (iPhone and Android) with code Paddle-002.
See the related article.
Current restrictions on outdoor water use
Due to ongoing drought conditions and shut downs of treatment plants while bringing the new PFAS-treating equipment online, the Water District has declared a Level 4 restriction, which limits outdoor water use to “food and fiber or public health and safety”.
If you are having a water-related problem, please contact us at 978-263-9107 or email corey@actonwater.com. More information is available https://www.actonwater.com/conservation/outdoor-water-restrictions and in the minutes of the AWD Commissioners meeting.
Boston Area Gleaners volunteer opportunity
Boston Area Gleaners is a regional food systems non-profit organization working at the intersection of farming, food waste, and food security. Our mission is to increase access to fresh fruits and vegetables across our communities while supporting our region’s farms and reducing systemic food waste.
The work we do is possible in large part because of our extraordinary network of volunteers. If you’re interested in deepening your understanding of the local food system, and ensuring that households experiencing food insecurity have access to nutritious produce, then we want you to volunteer with us! You can start by creating a volunteer account on our website here. Once you have an account, you can sign up for any shift that we post on our opportunity list. We hope to see you soon!
Nashoba Valley Neighbors Club
The Nashoba Valley Neighbors Club has ongoing public events including Lunch Bunch, Movie Night, Book Club, Dinner Group, Trivia Nights, Summer Picnic, wine tastings, and Men’s and Ladies’ Nights.
The Nashoba Valley Neighbors Club is a non-profit social organization open to new and established residents from Acton, Boxborough, Chelmsford, Groton, Littleton, Westford, Maynard, and Harvard. Originally called the Welcome Wagon Newcomers Club of Acton, and then the Acton-Boxborough Newcomers & Neighbors Club, in 2014 it became the Nashoba Valley Neighbors Club to reflect our current members and their interests. The club welcomes any residents in the surrounding communities who are looking to explore new interests and to make connections with new friends.
Find us on Facebook or visit the club’s website for more information, as well as information on how to become a member of the Nashoba Valley Neighbors Club, or email info@nashobavalleyneighbors.org. We look forward to seeing you!
Also see the article about us in the Nov. 1, 2025 issue of the Acton Exchange.
English At Large Conversation Classes
Looking to practice your English speaking skills? Join a free conversation group with English At Large to build your skills and confidence speaking English in a group setting with the support of trained facilitators. “English At Large” conversation groups are for intermediate to advanced adult English language learners to practice speaking and listening for 90 minutes once per week. Join a group of 10-12 learners and 2 facilitators to discuss topics including American culture and holidays, idioms, and daily life situations. For more information about English At Large conversation groups, visit our conversation group page, or email info@englishatlarge.org.
Acton Nursing Services offers free loaner equipment
Did you know that Acton Nursing Services (ANS) offers a range of home-health equipment on free loan on a first-come-first-served basis for Acton residents? Often we think of our very own home health organization as being focused only on older members of the community, but it can also be very helpful for anyone else. Whether it’s a slip-and-fall accident on snow or ice, a sports accident, a motor vehicle incident, or recovery time at home after a hospital procedure, ANS can often offer free equipment like crutches, canes, wheelchairs, walkers, shower chairs, and more.
Recovery can be hard enough; why make it more expensive than it has to be? Call: 978.929.6650 to check availability. These items are also available on loan to residents hosting visitors from out of town who may need them during their stay.
Full information about ANS’ year-round services for all Acton residents is available at https://www.actonnursingservice.com. Submitted by Adrian Hancock, Chair, Acton Nursing Services Advisory Committee
AB Community Fitness Center is open
Through the AB Community Education website: The Acton-Boxborough Regional School District maintains a fitness center that is open to the public in the evenings and on Saturday mornings during the school year.
The fitness center is located in the Acton-Boxborough Regional High School. For cost, hours, and more information, see Fitness Center at Community Education (abschools.org).
Volunteer at Danny’s Place! 543 Mass Ave. West Acton
Volunteer at Danny’s Place after school or on your days off.
Calling all high school and junior high school students. We’re looking for enthusiastic helpers/volunteers to join our team at Danny’s Place! Support our programs, gain valuable administrative skills, and make a difference in your community. Flexible hours & meaningful opportunities await!
Email us to apply: info@dannys-place.org.
Steeple Beautification Repair Project
The West Acton Baptist Church at 592 Massachusetts Avenue has launched a steeple project beginning in April.
The project, includes resurfacing the 24k. gold-leafed dome and exterior painting, repair and maintenance of the dome, steeple, and belfry, which houses a bronze bell cast in 1857 in a foundry once owned by Paul Revere.
The project goal of $300,000 and every dollar matched.
For more information & updates or to donate, visit the West Acton Baptist Church steeple project website
Faith-based organizations serving Acton
Faith-based organizations in and near Acton provide a myriad of opportunities for connecting and serving, as well as worshipping. Check out these websites for more details:
- Acton-Boxborough Regional Islamic Community Center
- Acton-Concord Chabad (Jewish)
- Acton Congregational Church
- Acton Korean Church
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Littleton)
- Church of the Good Shepherd (Episcopal)
- Congregation Beth Elohim (Jewish)
- Faith Evangelical Free Church
- First Church Unitarian (in Littleton)
- First Parish in Concord (Unitarian Universalist, in Concord)
- First Parish Church of Stow & Acton (Unitarian Universalist, in Stow)
- Holy Annunciation Orthodox Church (in Maynard)
- Great Road Church (Covenant Church)
- Kerem Shalom (Jewish, in Concord)
- Boston Metrowest Bible Church (BMWBC) (Chinese language, Littleton)
- Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church
- New England Shirdi Sai Temple (Hindu, in Groton)
- River of Life Christian Church in Boston (Chinese language, Nagog Hill, Acton)
- St. Elizabeth of Hungary (Catholic)
- St. John Lutheran Church, ECLA (Sudbury)
- St. Matthew’s United Methodist Church
- United Church of Christ Boxborough (in Boxborough)
- West Acton Baptist Church
Unless otherwise noted, the organization is in Acton.
