By Maureen Foster

This March, the Alex Foster Foundation (AFF) will host their first fundraiser. AFF is a 501c3 charitable organization whose mission is to educate and raise awareness about addiction, and to offer support to those who are struggling with addiction and their families.

The Foster family formed the foundation after the loss of Alex, their son and brother, at the age of 28 in 2014. That year, almost 1,400 people in Massachusetts died from Substance Use Disorder.

Since the foundation has been formed, AFF has supported The CASPAR Emergency Shelter, the Somerville Homeless Coalition, and Teen Empowerment.

Their HopeFULL Backpack Project has provided backpacks filled with daily living essentials to clients at the CASPAR Shelter, as well as our homeless neighbors. The group also hosted a 2015 community forum on addiction, which included talks by doctors from McLean Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital, an Addiction Counselor, and a parent of two addicts.

Just recently they began a Somerville chapter of GRASP (Grief Recovery After a Substance Passing), offering comfort and support to others who have lost a loved one to addiction.

AFF’s fundraiser, an evening of Rock ‘n Hope, will be held on March 10 at 7:00 p.m. at the Irish American Club in Malden. There will be music from One Moe Time, a great local cover band which includes Somerville natives Bob DiGuardia and Mike Pantanella. There will be a special performance by Laura Sanscartier, a former resident member of the chorus of the Boston Symphony and Boston Pops Orchestras.

The evening will also include dinner from Dom’s in Malden and raffles. Please join us for a fun evening of music, dancing, and friends while raising money to help others. Tickets are $40/per person and can be purchased by emailing AFF at alexfosterfoundation@gmail.com or visiting facebook.com/alexfosterfoundation.